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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27397261">Loyalties Divided</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsJohnReese/pseuds/MrsJohnReese'>MrsJohnReese</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Person of Interest (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:35:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>26,410</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27397261</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsJohnReese/pseuds/MrsJohnReese</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Groomed from a young age, Katherine Greer knew no other life than the one her guardian had given her-that of a highly trained operative who knew better than to question orders. But when Samaritan targets Team Machine, she will begin to question her own motives, and those of the man who raised her, until she finds herself on the brink of a choice that will change her life forever.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Beginning of the End</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The man stood on the balustrade overlooking the training down below, both hands secured in the pockets of his suit jacket while his feet rested exactly shoulders-width apart on the floor beneath him to steady his position. Everything about him was perfectly precise, from the fit of his suit, to the careful styling of the gray and white hair that fell just above his brow. But none of that mattered very much at all when compared to the intent gaze of his cold blue eyes as he watched the young woman below successfully disarm her opponent, and pin him beneath her on the mat. A muffled quip, and a sharp laugh reached his ears, its familiarity provoking a small twitch of the lips that might have been a smile, but for the fact that it never reached his eyes.</p><p>He knew that anything other than the briefest flickers of an emotional response would only be a liability…</p><p>With such a thought in mind, the man turned his attention to the agent that had come to stand at his side with barely a sound to herald her coming, blue eyes meeting brown for a moment of silence before the newcomer spoke.</p><p>"She's good."</p><p>"Of course she is, Martine. What else did you possibly expect?"</p><p>"Honestly, sir? I'm not entirely sure," The blonde replied, glancing down at the woman in question, and pursing her lips into a frown. In the time since she had first arrived, it appeared that the two combatants below had managed to stand once more, the slight shove that the taller of the two gave his companion provoking another laugh in response. It would have been a lie to pretend that she understood the reasoning behind her superior's decision to use the young woman as a part of their mission, such as it was, even with her own mistrust of the new 'asset' removed from the equation entirely.</p><p>To her, the girl was nothing but a pretty face—a distraction, regardless of whether she seemed capable of handling herself, or not.</p><p>Still, Martine was not prepared to bring her own personal opinions to the forefront, at least not yet, particularly given her superior's apparent fondness for the girl. In truth, discovering that she had been with him since she was just a young child was startling, given that what little she knew of the man standing beside her seemed so utterly at odds with the act of caring for a child. But regardless of her own misgivings, Martine knew better than to question the decisions of the man standing beside her.</p><p>Many others that had come before her had done so, and paid the price as a result.</p><p>"Do you believe she is ready?" She asked instead, risking a glance at her superior, and noting that he had been regarding her with some curiosity during the entire duration of her brief foray into her own musings. The intensity of that blue gaze no longer unnerved her as it once had, years of experience with the man in question providing her with some sort of certainty in the esteem he held for her, if nothing else. And although some small part of her knew that even asking the question she just had might have been a risk, given the man's sometimes unreadable moods, Martine could not entirely bring herself to regret the decision, her brown eyes remaining fixed upon her superior's blue ones as she awaited his reply.</p><p>"I believe so," He confirmed, allowing his gaze to return back to the woman in question, while another faint twitch at the corner of his mouth belied his mild amusement over the easy confidence that seemed to emanate from her as she moved toward a small wooden bench and reached for the water bottle resting upon it with a fluid sort of grace he had only seen in a few agents before, "You still have doubts."</p><p>"I'm not in the business of questioning orders."</p><p>"Except for these," The man pressed, turning to face the woman standing beside him, and observing her face carefully to discern what her reaction might be to what he was prepared to say next, "I seem to recall you were a budding trainee, once. Not so very long ago, in fact."</p><p>"I was."</p><p>"And look at you now. Raw potential, more often than not, can in fact be turned into a valuable asset."</p><p>Pursing her lips to keep her intended reply from being spoken, Martine instead managed a curt nod before turning and preparing to depart so that she might complete her own tasks for that day, only to find the act thwarted as her superior addressed her once again. As always, she turned back towards him, her expression rearranged into the familiar cool mask that would render her true feelings unreadable to nearly everyone that looked upon her face.</p><p>Of course, that tactic was very nearly pointless, when employed against the man who stood before her, now…</p><p>"Samaritan has a plan for Katherine, Martine, much the same as it has a plan for you," He began, once again regarding the woman's reaction carefully, and finding himself pleased to note that she appeared to simply accept his words at face value, at least for the moment, without protest.</p><p>"Together, I believe the two of you will be capable of great things."</p><p>…</p><p>(Seattle, WA, June 2002)</p><p>"I said give it back!" The girl demanded, standing in the center of the alleyway, while a chill rain pattered against the already damp fabric of her sweatshirt and jeans. The boy she faced was two years older, and already towered over her slighter frame, though she did her best to avoid letting that realization cause her to back down. Of course, she knew she likely would not stand a chance against him, if things turned to a more physical altercation. But even that certainty did not seem to be enough to persuade her to alter her course, her blue eyes flashing their defiance as she squared her shoulders, and tilted her head back despite the renewed onslaught of rain against her upturned features so that she might look her adversary in the eye while he replied.</p><p>"I don't think I want to. And you don't really look like you can do anything about it."</p><p>"Then you're just as stupid as you look."</p><p>Somewhat pleased by the utterly enraged expression that had stolen over the older boy's features, the girl used his momentary distraction to her advantage, propelling her smaller frame against his until they both tumbled to the ground. A loud grunt served as ample proof that the act had succeeded in temporarily rendering the boy breathless, thus granting the girl enough time to knock the object he still held in his right hand out of reach. But before she could manage to extricate herself from the tangle of limbs that had formed as a direct result of her impromptu tackle, the girl found herself emitting herself a startled yelp as the boy's hands came up to latch roughly upon her arms, so that he could flip her over and pin her on her back beneath him.</p><p>"Not so fun being knocked on your ass, is it, bitch?"</p><p>Choosing not to reply, the girl set about the task of relaxing her arms and shoulders beneath the steady pressure of her adversary's hold, a small wince stealing over her features as he pressed them back until the rough gravel of the alleyway scraped against her skin through the thin fabric of her sweatshirt. The boy appeared to take the bait, a slow grin toying at the corners of his mouth as he gave in to the belief that he clearly had overpowered her. And that was all the incentive the girl required to jerk her knee up until it connected with the boy's groin, her own satisfied grin only growing while the boy's turned into an open-mouthed grimace of pain.</p><p>Able to shove him away from her and scrabble backward as his hold upon her arms lessened significantly, the girl forced herself to her feet while her companion's coughs and groans echoed through the alleyway, one foot extending to kick the object he had stolen behind her before he could make any attempt to grab for it again. It was then that she heard it—the soft sound of an outside party stooping to pick the object up as they came to a stop behind where she stood. And although some small part of her knew that the gesture just might be futile, the girl found herself whirling on a heel to face this newcomer, one hand already balling into a fist until a far gentler hand reached out to latch upon her wrist.</p><p>"Well well well…what have we here?"</p><p>…</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Test Run</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Seattle, WA, June 2002)</p><p>Katherine perched on the edge of the diner booth across from the man who appeared to be her would-be savior, sharp blue eyes regarding him warily, despite the fact that she could not entirely keep her curiosity from making itself known in her gaze. Truthfully, she had no idea why the man had insisted upon bringing her here, and seeing to it that she had a warm meal paid for, besides. But even in the face of the lingering doubt that refused to allow her muscles to relax, thus keeping her rooted to the seat's edge, with her spine erect, she would have been a fool to say that the gesture was not a welcome one…</p><p>She couldn't even recall when the last time she had enjoyed a full meal had been, and, for now at least, the dull aching pit in her stomach that came as a result of that hunger seemed to abate.</p><p>Still, she remained on her guard, knowing that, more often than not, when people did someone any favors, they expected a return on their investment—a return that she was not entirely certain she could give, at a mere eight years of age. She had no money. No family to speak of that could repay the man for what he might reasonably perceive as a kindness. And although a part of her wanted to believe that perhaps this particular man might simply be a good person, with no expectation of repayment, Katherine quickly forced that childish thought to the back of her mind, her lips pursing into a half-frown as she came to the realization that he appeared to be watching her every bit as carefully as she was watching him.</p><p>"You don't trust this, do you?" He inquired, though even she had to admit his tone made it more of a statement of fact, than an actual question he expected a reply to, "I suppose, given your experiences of late, I can hardly blame you."</p><p>"How—"</p><p>"How do I know of your experiences?" The man finished for her, something that might have passed for a smile causing his mouth to turn up at one corner as he regarded her for a moment in silence before going on, "I have my ways."</p><p>"I can't pay you. I don't—I'm not sure what you want," Katherine admitted, silently cursing the way in which her voice seemed to fracture around the words, giving unwitting evidence to the fact that her condition, such as it was, embarrassed her more than she cared to admit. Of course, she wasn't the only one in her current predicament—there were plenty of kids out there, admittedly, in far more dire straits than she had yet to experience. But regardless of that very fact, she would have been a liar to pretend that she did not resent the idea of anyone learning the true nature of her ordeal, some sort of stubborn pride causing whatever pleasure she had found in the unexpected meal to sour, even in the face of her companion's next words.</p><p>"I only want to help you, child. I believe we both know that you need it."</p><p>"I'm fine."</p><p>"Your circumstances before I found you seem to indicate otherwise."</p><p>Stymied by the obvious truth in that remark, Katherine said nothing, her eyes drifting down to the remnants of the meal she had just inhaled, while a light flush stole over her cheeks. Clearly, this man had some knowledge of her life, though she hadn't the faintest idea how that was even possible. And although she truly did want to be angry with him for appearing so intrusive, she was also more than a little curious to determine his motives behind helping her, to begin with.</p><p>If he truly did intend to help, there must have been something he thought he could get in return…</p><p>"Why?" She finally demanded, flinching against her will at the startling hardness behind the singular word, and yet finding herself surprised to note that her companion did not seem at all surprised by the defensiveness inherent in her reply. In fact, he appeared to be remarkably adept at taking it all in stride, his expression never wavering as he continued to watch her from his position opposite her in the booth. And despite the fact that his seeming inscrutability unnerved her, Katherine also found a curious, if not reluctant sense of respect developing for his stoicism, her frown relaxing just a bit as she realized he had leaned closer towards her before deciding upon his reply.</p><p>"Because once upon a time, I was very much like you. And I believe you are destined for far greater things than fighting children twice your size in a secluded alleyway."</p><p>"He had something of mine. I had to get it back."</p><p>"And now that you have it back, do you feel any better than you did when he stole it from you in the first place?"</p><p>"You have it now."</p><p>"That I do," The man confirmed, chuckling dryly at the flatness of his young companion's reply, and reaching into his jacket pocket to withdraw the object in question before going on, "But do you feel any better?"</p><p>"I will when you give it back," Katherine stated, innate defiance prompting her to square her shoulders as she allowed her eyes to zero in on the tattered edges of the photograph held in the man's hands, her teeth digging into her lower lip as though she feared he would tear it in two in seconds, "Please—please give it back."</p><p>"It has value to you. But the photograph is not of you. Your mother, perhaps?"</p><p>"Why does that matter? It's mine."</p><p>"Because for it to mean so much to you that you would come to blows with another person, it must be a picture of someone you love very much," The man suggested, placing the photograph upon the table between them, and keeping one hand positioned upon it in case the girl attempted to snatch it away as a result, "And let us not forget you were prepared to go up against me to get it back, as well."</p><p>Unsure of how best to reply to that last assertion, Katherine settled instead for placing her hands, palms-flat, upon the table on either side of her now-abandoned plate, blue eyes drifting away from the photograph so that she could glance at the man seated across from her once again. She was not entirely certain what she had expected to see in his expression, as it had not changed one iota since they first sat down. He seemed to be simply content to wait for her reply, and equally as prepared to accept her refusal to give one, if she so chose. And in spite of the hesitancy she still felt in her chest at the prospect of revealing any more to this stranger than she already had, Katherine found that she was not entirely able to resist engaging him in further conversation.</p><p>Perhaps if she gave him something in the way of what he seemed to want to know, she could learn something about him, as well.</p><p>"How did you know it was my mom?"</p><p>"The remarkable likeness in bone structure, for one. Though your eye and hair color are remarkably dissimilar."</p><p>"She told me I take after my father. Especially in the eyes."</p><p>"And do you know who your father is?" The stranger asked, averting his attention from the young girl seated across from him in favor of taking a sip of the tea placed just before him on the table top, and slightly to the right. He could tell his inquiry had struck a nerve, if the way in which the girl's eyes seemed to flash for a moment, as though determined to defy him with everything she had were any indication. But before he could make any attempt at probing for the source of that defiance, the girl was exhaling in a rush, small shoulders slumping just a bit as she shook her head for a moment before attempting a verbal reply, instead.</p><p>"No. I don't."</p><p>"And your mother? Where is she, now?"</p><p>"Dead," Katherine replied, hating the fact that, despite the numbness inherent in her tone, the familiar sting of tears rose to prick at the corners of her eyes at the prospect of once again being forced to confront the reality of her situation, head-on, "Cancer."</p><p>"So you are alone," The man mused, his statement making it clear to the girl that he did not expect a reply, having already deduced the truth for himself the moment he first laid eyes upon her person, "What if I told you all of that could come to an end?"</p><p>"I don't think I would believe you."</p><p>"For argument's sake, let us pretend that you do. What would you do, then?"</p><p>"I would ask you what you meant," Katherine amended, her brow wrinkling as she flicked her gaze from the photo still pressed against the table top to her companion's features once more, and noted that he appeared to have allowed her the briefest glimpses of a satisfied smile before he spoke in turn.</p><p>"I mean, my dear girl, that if you were faced with the prospect of an entirely new life, would you take it? No questions asked?"</p><p>"No."</p><p>"No?" The man repeated, surprised at the obvious skepticism inherent in the girl's reply, particularly as most others of her age would have jumped at the chance to start over, without a second thought, "Enlighten me, child. What is it you would need to know?"</p><p>"Why me?"</p><p>"Why not you?"</p><p>"Because, I—I'm nothing," Katherine began, forcing herself to look the man in the eye in spite of the shiver of apprehension that fled down her spine at the flash of something she could not quite identify in his gaze in response to her words, "I'm no one."</p><p>"Everyone matters to someone, my dear. Anyone who claims to believe otherwise is a fool."</p><p>"And I matter to you? That doesn't make any sense."</p><p>"What does, in this life?" The man countered, pleased to see that his words appeared to have had some impact on the girl seated across from him, despite her lingering mistrust regarding his motives that he could see so clearly upon her features no matter what she did to try to hide it, "At the end of the day, we all must choose whether to allow ourselves to cling only to what seems logical, or to accept a bit of mystery in hopes of achieving a greater reward."</p><p>Frowning a bit in response to the enigmatic reply, Katherine allowed herself the liberty of shifting so that she could reach for the glass of orange juice placed near her plate, the sweet coolness of the liquid as it slid down her throat providing some distraction from her confusion over her circumstances, and thus giving her the chance to attempt to make sense of them, herself. Clearly, the man had a larger agenda, though what exactly that agenda was remained a mystery. And in spite of herself—in spite of her reluctance to trust that anyone could harbor a genuine interest in her well-being, aside from what it could do for them, Katherine found herself tentatively deciding to trust him, at least for the time being, her fingertips lingering on the cool exterior of the glass of orange juice she had replaced upon the table for a moment before she replied.</p><p>"You won't change your mind?" She questioned, once again cursing the desperation that clouded her tone, despite her efforts to appear only mildly curious as to the man's answer, "You won't turn me out as soon as something better comes along?"</p><p>"Never," The man confirmed, something in the firm nature of his reply providing far more reassurance than Katherine truly believed she deserved…</p><p>"As I said—you, my dear, are destined for great things."</p><p>…</p><p>The memory had come, unbidden, just as Katherine was emerging from the shower, the steam ebbing around the room bringing a slight sheen to her skin as she toweled off, and donned a pair of loose-fitting slacks, and a black tank top, before exiting the small bathroom, and padding on bare feet towards the dresser where she would find a hairbrush to come through the tangles of her hair. As she moved, her muscles seemed to protest with the precise sort of dull ache that she actually enjoyed, as it signified a day well-spent in training. And, in spite of the lingering jolt of apprehension that the sudden memory of a time she believed to be long past provoked, she was not entirely willing to allow it to dominate her mood, her attention turning, for the most part, to the task of brushing the tangles out of her damp hair, while she idly hummed along to the tune that came from the nearby speakers situated atop her dresser.</p><p>While otherwise occupied with brushing her hair, and plaiting it into a braid that would hang over her left shoulder, Katherine permitted her thoughts to stray back to the memory as carefully as she dared, all the while remaining prepared to shut those thoughts down, should they become too troubling. Ever since her guardian had found her that rainy summer day, she had hardly dared to question her sudden change in fortune, as though the very act of doing so would cause it all to fall apart at the seams. But in spite of her apparent reticence on the matter as a whole, she would have been a liar had she claimed to have given up her interest in the man's motives, even now…</p><p>She simply prided herself in doing a damned good job of keeping that interest under wraps.</p><p>He had been true to his word, of course, never once abandoning her to the streets, no matter how rocky her initial induction into the life he wished to give her might have been. She knew she was no prize jewel, her temperament more often than not clashing with his own as the duo attempted to bridge the apparent gap between a man to whom decorum and adherence to routine were vital, and a girl whose rather solitary life fending for herself made the prospect of any sort of higher authority detrimental. But somehow, they had done so, despite a few botched attempts, and Katherine knew very well that had he not persisted in seeing her attributes, and not just her shortcomings, she might have become someone else, entirely.</p><p>Still, the man who called himself John Greer remained, in many ways, a stranger to the young girl who soon came to see him as a sort of surrogate father figure, and no matter how she managed to impress him with her training, or wring the occasional genuine laugh with one of her sharp remarks, Katherine was entirely unable to fully penetrate the careful walls he had erected around himself so surely that she doubted anyone he associated with truly knew who he really was.</p><p>In a way, she had adopted much the same technique for herself when it came to guarding her past, and her feelings, her tendency to present a superficially even-keeled exterior serving her well, more often than not. Of course, she had managed to get close to a few other trainees, such as they were, an instinctive desire to form some sort of meaningful relationship prompting her to be at least somewhat forthcoming, with those she knew she could trust.</p><p>More often than not, however, the majority of the things she chose to tell those acquaintances were partial truths concealed behind a lie.</p><p>It would have been a gross understatement had Katherine claimed such an existence was not a lonely one at times, but in the years since her guardian had found her, she had grown accustomed to it, to say the least. The two of them had subsisted mostly on their own, until recent years, when the needs of something far greater than either of them, alone, had brought them to where they were, now. And although a small part of her missed having her guardian to herself, Katherine knew that the task they were set upon now was far more important than any of her own selfish desires.</p><p>As if on queue from that particular line of thought, the sharp sound of a knock upon her apartment door rather effectively jolted Katherine from her own inner musings, and prompted her to move out of her bedroom, and across the hardwood flooring of the den to answer the sound, her fingertips lingering on the doorknob as she realized the would-be intruder was not at all who she had thought it would be. She had expected Greer, or perhaps Lambert, given that her guardian's right-hand man appeared to have a knack for seeking her out for a drink, particularly if his own assignment had gone awry throughout the course of the day. But what she could never have anticipated—not in a million years—was the appearance of the blonde woman who had made absolutely no secret of the fact that she doubted Katherine's place in their agenda from the start.</p><p>"Martine," Katherine managed, one dark brow lifting as the older woman passed her and strode into her room as though she belonged there, "I wasn't aware I should be expecting you this evening."</p><p>"That's because you shouldn't have," The blonde replied, brown eyes roaming around the room she had just entered, while her nose crinkled just a bit in apparent distaste. Though Katherine had no inkling of it, the expression was more so a result of a distinct lack of anything to grasp upon in the décor to gain a greater understanding of the woman who called this place her home than it was any sort of disapproval of the choices in furnishings, themselves. But, regardless of the motives behind such an expression, the darker haired of the two women found herself almost immediately on the defensive, her muscles tensing as she shut the apartment door with a snap before turning back to face her unexpected guest with as neutral an expression as she could muster.</p><p>"Then I don't suppose you would mind me asking to what I owe the pleasure?"</p><p>"You and I both know you don't give a damn whether I mind or not."</p><p>"Perhaps you should get to the point, then. That is, if you really are convinced that I don't care to deal with pretense."</p><p>"Why are you going to Dongsheng?"</p><p>"You really think I know?" Katherine quipped, unable to resist the urge to roll her eyes in obvious exasperation, while simultaneously moving back into the den, and taking the liberty of perching on the sofa, while Martine appeared content to remain standing erect, "I assume I'll figure it out when I get there."</p><p>"That's awfully cavalier of you."</p><p>"I don't see how I have any other option."</p><p>"It must be nice for you, being as close to Greer as you are," Martine pressed, her eyes narrowing as she took in Katherine's stoic expression, and did what she could to mirror that indifference with her own, "Protected from on high, and all that—"</p><p>"Get to the point, Martine. I don't have all day."</p><p>"He chose you over me. You aren't even out of training."</p><p>"And you want to know why," Katherine finished, scooting back on the sofa cushion, and folding both arms across her chest while simultaneously crossing one leg over the other so that one foot bobbed aimlessly in a show of far more confidence than she truly felt, "I don't suppose you'd believe me if I said I truly didn't know?"</p><p>"No. I wouldn't."</p><p>"Well that's too bad."</p><p>"Isn't it, though," Martine deadpanned, moving towards the window that looked out over a small courtyard below, though her expression never altered in the slightest the entire time, "What I want to know is, what you can offer him that the rest of us can't."</p><p>"Maybe he's a fan of my sparkling personality."</p><p>"Is that what you're calling it?"</p><p>"I'm more interested in knowing what you are calling it."</p><p>"If he were any other man, I would call it something cliché."</p><p>"But John Greer is not any other man," Katherine replied, almost immediately becoming aware of the faint flicker of annoyance that passed across Martine's features, and suppressing a faint smile as a result, "You know that, as well as I."</p><p>"Then what the hell does he see in you?"</p><p>"Again—I don't know," Katherine said, her eyes never wavering from their investigation of the older woman's features, despite how the gaze she earned in return for her efforts had hardened, as though her companion truly believed that a sharp glance would intimidate her at all, "If I didn't know any better, Martine, I'd say you were jealous."</p><p>"Of you? Not likely," The blonde retorted, turning from the window, and risking a few steps back towards the center of the room before going on, "I simply don't see the sense in jeopardizing a mission just because someone wants to play favorites."</p><p>"If that's what you think this is, you're mistaken."</p><p>"I suppose only time will tell."</p><p>"I suppose it will," Katherine agreed, managing a tight smile for her companion's benefit, before moving to stand, and heading towards the door to show the woman out, "Maybe by the time I come back, you'll actually start to believe I might just be as capable of doing the job as you."</p><p>In contrast to what she had anticipated, given the woman's obvious lack of regard for her, Katherine was surprised to note that Martine did, in fact, appear to have taken the hint and prepared to depart, her heels clicking along against the flooring before she came to a stop just at the doorway's edge. For a moment, she seemed content to simply eye Katherine in silence, the act causing the younger woman to fight tooth and nail to avoid letting the sudden discomfort she felt under the weight of such scrutiny to make itself known upon her features. But before Katherine could find some clever quip to call to the surface in hopes of bringing that scrutiny to a close, Martine was stepping over the threshold, a soft sigh escaping before she turned back to her younger companion, and spoke with a smile that hinted at something she knew, that Katherine did not.</p><p>"I won't hold my breath on that, Katherine. First jobs have a nasty history of going awry, no matter how good the new recruit thinks they are."</p><p>Whether Katherine wanted to acknowledge the risk it or not, Martine genuinely hoped that perhaps some of the girl's easy confidence would be stripped away if everything did not go as planned…</p><p>If nothing else, perhaps a botched mission under her belt would be enough to persuade Greer to realize that the sun did not, in fact, rise and set with his ward.</p><p>…</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Travel Scars</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Frankfurt, Germany, November 2009)</p><p>"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you don't exactly look pleased to be here."</p><p>Turning to face the unwelcome guest at the small table she occupied in the far corner of the café, Katherine only just managed to keep her eyes from visibly widening in surprise as she took in the appearance of the newcomer with relative ease. Regardless of the poor timing of his arrival, she would have been a fool to pretend that he was not handsome, with a dimpled smile, and warm brown eyes that seemed to demonstrate an openness of personality that was entirely foreign to her near sixteen years. It was startling—that brief sense that this stranger was unlike any other she had ever met—but, knowing as she did that he was about as irrelevant to what she was intended to do here in the first place as what she had chosen to eat to pass the time, Katherine forced a cool note of indifference into her reply, blue eyes narrowing as she tucked a loose lock of dark hair behind her ear as she spoke.</p><p>"What a thing to say to a girl who's just minding her own business, waiting for dinner."</p><p>"It got you talking, didn't it?"</p><p>"And I suppose now I'm going to witness your self-indulgent pleasure over that fact?"</p><p>"Something like that," The stranger confirmed, open laughter following his remark as he took the liberty of sitting at the table, himself, in spite of the obviously affronted expression that passed across Katherine's features in response, "Name's Chase. Chase Parker."</p><p>"Good for you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm a bit busy at the moment—"</p><p>"Really. Because from where I'm standing, you look bored as hell."</p><p>Scoffing at the man's comment in spite of herself, Katherine leaned back against the chair she occupied while the fingers of one hand toyed with the stem of the now empty glass that rested on the table before her. He was American. He had to be, both by his accent that contrasted so obviously with her own carefully polished English, and with the unmistakable confidence he bore even in spite of his presence in a country that was not his own, taking a seat that was never offered. And although some small part of her would have liked very much to continue in whatever this was, until her innate curiosity determined exactly what his motives might be in approaching her to start with, Katherine soon forced her attention back to the present, one brow arcing in a mockery of intrigue before she replied.</p><p>"Sorry. You're wrong about that."</p><p>"How many times do you think you'll have to say that before you start to believe it?"</p><p>"I already believe it, because it's true," Katherine stated, a hint of aggravation showing in her voice, regardless of her attempts at maintaining a neutral tone as she moved to stand, despite the fact that her meal had yet to arrive, "I really should be going—"</p><p>"And here I thought we were finally starting to get along."</p><p>"If that's what you call getting along, you have a lot to learn."</p><p>"Maybe you could teach me," Chase persisted, what was clearly meant to be a charming grin tugging at one corner of his mouth as he, too, moved to stand, and effectively stopped Katherine in her tracks. For a moment, he almost believed she intended to strike him, blue eyes flashing their indignation while her lips pursed into a frown. But just as soon as the irritation she so clearly felt at his interruption made itself known upon her features, the young woman seemed to have cast it aside, her expression once again resuming its neutral cast while she shook her head in what could have been either amusement, or resignation, depending on how one chose to interpret it on their own.</p><p>"You really don't give up, do you?"</p><p>"Not if I can help it."</p><p>"Fine. But if you're going to refuse to let me be, can you at least do me the courtesy of being quiet? I really am trying to do a job, here."</p><p>"All by yourself?"</p><p>"As a matter of fact, yes," Katherine confirmed, folding her arms across her chest, and regarding her unflappable companion with a slightly less abrasive glance than the ones she had given him thus far, "There are, believe it or not, some people who do their best work on their own."</p><p>"Does it still count as doing work on your own if a third party offers to buy you a drink?"</p><p>Unable to resist a small laugh in response to the quip, no matter how much she may have wished to, Katherine shook her head once again before allowing herself to be guided back towards her seat, the fact of his persistence in keeping her company filling her with a rather unfamiliar sense of resolve, despite her initial aggravation. Taking a seat, she attempted to settle back into observing the older couple just a few tables over, while simultaneously trying to corral her thoughts into some semblance of order. But no matter how hard she tried, she could not completely regain her former pretense of disinterested observation of the couple's activities, her eyes repeatedly straying back to her newfound companion as he flagged down a waiter, and ordered them both a bottle of beer.</p><p>If nothing else, Katherine supposed he would offer some entertainment in light of the rather dismal affair that attempting to garner information on the couple that had been her sole focus had turned into…</p><p>…</p><p>Startled out of her unexpected doze, Katherine inhaled sharply and glanced at her surroundings, her fingers gripping the armrests of the seat she occupied so tightly that her knuckles had gone white. Of course, in spite of how she had hoped that her momentary disorientation would have escaped the notice of the man who sat across from her on the jet, just one glance at the older man's elegantly raised brow was enough to tell her otherwise. Some small part of her wished that she could have found some way to manage keeping the dream that had woken her every bit as suddenly as it had come to her mind to begin with to herself, though she knew almost as soon as the thought occurred to her that it would never happen. Even before she had become truly comfortable with her guardian, he had possessed an uncanny ability to see through any attempt she made at subterfuge, and she knew that now would be no different than any other time, before.</p><p>"Dreaming again, my dear?" He queried, one hand reaching to smooth the red fabric of his tie, while the other grasped a folded newspaper that he appeared ready to cast aside, "What was it, this time, I wonder?"</p><p>"Just more memories. Nothing special."</p><p>"In my experience, most memories are special," Greer countered, a subtle smile tugging at one corner of his mouth as he regarded the young woman seated across from him for a moment in silence before shifting minutely in his own seat, and endeavoring to extract more information from her, "And perhaps they can be made even more so, once shared."</p><p>"I suppose I was just remembering Frankfurt."</p><p>"And the man you met there?"</p><p>"However did you guess?"</p><p>"I have my ways."</p><p>"Am I truly that predictable?" Katherine inquired, a small frown marring her brow as she leaned over to reach for the glass of water she had abandoned before her impromptu nap, and managed a sip or two to wet her lips and throat, both of which had been rendered rather dry by the air circulating around them, "How unfortunate, considering all the time you've spent training me not to be."</p><p>"You are hardly predictable, my dear. You have simply spent less time deciphering the minutiae of people's words and expressions than you have."</p><p>"Is this what it sounds like to hear you owning your age?"</p><p>"It is what it sounds like to hear wisdom you ought to take to heart," Greer corrected, finally tossing the paper in his hand onto the empty seat beside him, and using the newfound lack of obstruction as an opportunity to clasp both hands together upon his knee while crossing it over the other, "Have you heard anything of Mister Parker?"</p><p>"Not since last month, no."</p><p>"And does that disappoint you?"</p><p>"Why would it?" Katherine asked, aware of the skeptical expression that her guardian had adopted in response to her almost immediate reply, and yet choosing to ignore it so that she could summon the wherewithal to attempt downplaying how the lack of communication Greer had just mentioned troubled her, "He's likely as busy as we are, ourselves."</p><p>"Whether he is or isn't, I do hope he will not distract you from the task at hand."</p><p>"Of course not. Even if you still haven't told me exactly what this task is, yet."</p><p>"All in due time, my dear. All in due time," Greer replied, noting his companion's small scoff of impatience, and suppressing a short laugh in response. Of course, he knew her reaction was solely a somewhat unwelcome side effect of her youth, as well as the predictable excitement that came about as a consequence of the alluring prospect of being allowed to test herself for the first time, unencumbered by the stigma of training attached around her neck like a chain, restricting movement no matter how determined she might be to break free. But no matter how eager his young charge might seem to begin what was to be her first real mission within the organization he had spent years building to perfection, Greer was well aware that even one misstep this early on would alter her trajectory more than she could ever know.</p><p>It was absolutely imperative that she proceed with caution, regardless of her excitement and anticipation, and in hopes of persuading her to behave rationally, the seasoned operative directed his efforts towards informing her of the potential foolhardiness of her own brash confidence, his tone level, as always, despite the very real concern he experienced for the young woman seated nearby.</p><p>"Haste makes waste, Katherine. And a part of your directive will be to determine as much as you can about your purpose in Dongsheng on your own, without my instruction."</p><p>"Is this a test?"</p><p>"It is whatever you choose to make it."</p><p>"Alright, keep your secrets," Katherine quipped, unable to resist the faint smile that tugged at her lips in response to her guardian's rather habitual elusiveness, even in the face of the slight anxiousness she felt over the prospect of somehow finding herself incapable of performing as Greer so obviously believed she would, "It isn't much fun if you give it all up in the beginning, anyway."</p><p>"You're learning."</p><p>"I've had a good teacher."</p><p>Her remark was met with nothing but a faint twitch at the corner of her companion's lips, though in truth Katherine hardly expected anything more. True demonstration of emotion was rare for her guardian, and as such, when he did manage to grant her some manner of insight into his true thoughts and feelings, she was never blind to the privilege. But no matter how many times Katherine may catch herself wishing for him to be a bit more forthcoming at times, she was also capable of recognizing the potential benefit in such a quality…</p><p>One of the many things he had ensured was ingrained in her memory early on was the knowledge that even one small show of one's true thoughts or feelings could prove fatal, depending on the situation at hand.</p><p>Still, she would have been a fool to pretend that she, herself, had not struggled with that particular lesson, her penchant for reacting on pure adrenaline and instinct serving as a hard habit to break. More often than she would care to admit, she had landed in relatively hot water, so to speak, during the various training exercises that she and her fellow recruits endured, though she had always found a way of getting herself out, as well. But in spite of her relative success in that regard, Katherine had never quite found a way of escaping the inevitable dissection of her methods, and exactly how they had gone wrong, afterwards.</p><p>Her guardian had never been one for allowing their odd little connection stand in the way of dressing her down if she truly deserved it, and although she may have chafed under the weight of such chastisement, she was never so naïve that she believed it was not a great part of what had formed her into the woman she was, today.</p><p>Suppressing her own grin in response to the thought, and leaning across the space between them to reach for the newspaper her guardian had discarded just moments before, Katherine flipped the pages open to the section Greer had been perusing just moments ago, her gaze almost immediately landing upon the small photograph he had secured there so swiftly she had nearly missed it. The woman depicted possessed the sort of haughty, self-assured expression that Katherine might have dared to associate with a woman like Martine, brown eyes staring straight ahead at whoever had been behind the camera as though daring them to find a flaw in her features, while long brown hair curled gently around her shoulders.</p><p>This was the reason she was travelling halfway across the world. She knew that for an absolute certainty, despite the fact that she still had no indication of this woman's identity, or what it was about her that had piqued her guardian's interest so effectively. And although curiosity was already starting to eat away at her, Katherine forced herself to continue to peruse the rest of the newspaper after depositing the photograph inside the bag held securely at her side, her expression curiously neutral as she wet her lips before she spoke in as disinterested a tone as she could manage.</p><p>"Where will we go when we land?"</p><p>"The local hospital," Greer supplied, watching carefully as his companion made a show of carefully folding the newspaper back into its original composition, before finally turning her gaze towards him, with one dark brow lifted in mild skepticism as he went on, "Our friend is currently a patient, there."</p><p>"And we're going to—what? Give her a magical cure for whatever landed her there in the first place?" Katherine quipped, moving to place the newspaper on the seat beside her, and regarding Greer with an unreadable expression for a moment, as he sought to answer her inquiry, albeit with as little detail as possible.</p><p>"You, my dear, are going to befriend her. Earn her trust, if you can. From there, I think the requisite cure will become readily apparent to you both."</p><p>Knowing that she was not going to be successful in obtaining any further explanation than what she had already been given, Katherine opted for simply settling back in her seat, and turning her gaze towards the window on her left, while the sun began to peek over the horizon, igniting the sky with light. No matter how many times she had travelled over the past years, it never ceased to amaze her exactly how beautiful the sunrise could be from the window of a plane. And in spite of the slight reluctance she felt at the prospect of being cast into the metaphorical deep end in an effort to force her to figure out her purpose on her own, Katherine did what she could to simply enjoy the moment, the slight warmth provided by the sun's rays as they streamed through the window beside her prompting her to exhale while all the tension and uncertainty bound in her frame left in a rush.</p><p>For now, at least, she was determined to achieve at least some semblance of peace of mind, in hopes that it would better serve her in performing as she was so clearly expected to by the man that had endeavored to teach her everything he knew…</p><p>Any other matter that presented a risk of distraction would simply have to wait.</p><p>…</p><p>(Frankfurt, Germany, November 2009)</p><p>"So—come here often?"</p><p>"Seriously? That's the line you're going with?" Katherine retorted, unable to fully suppress the laughter that bubbled up in response to the man's inquiry, no matter how fiercely she might have wanted to. The two of them had been seated at the table in the café for nearly three hours, now, though surprisingly enough, the ease of conversation between them had made it seem like far less than that. And no matter how she knew full well that she would likely face the displeasure of her guardian if she were to return with absolutely nothing to indicate she had been productive in her journey at all, Katherine could not entirely bring herself to care, her blue eyes regarding her companion for a moment while a slow smile stretched across her lips as he replied.</p><p>"It usually works. And I don't think this time is going to be any different."</p><p>"You don't."</p><p>"Nope."</p><p>"Well you're confident. I'll give you that."</p><p>"It sort of pays to be that way, don't you think?" Chase persisted, chuckling a bit in response to his companion's amusement, no matter how difficult it was to obtain in the first place, "From what I can see, it's paying off right now."</p><p>"Oh? How so?"</p><p>"You stayed, didn't you?"</p><p>"Reluctantly," Katherine corrected, her brow furrowing just a bit as she realized almost as soon as the word left her mouth that it was just a touch insincere, "If I recall correctly, you did sort of block my exit."</p><p>"Desperate times call for desperate measures."</p><p>"I'll have to keep that in mind."</p><p>"Please do," Chase agreed, fiddling for a moment with the label on the glass of beer that rested in front of him, before turning his gaze back to Katherine's, and managing a roguish wink before changing the subject back to what he had originally wished to know, "You still haven't answered my question, though."</p><p>"Do I come here often?"</p><p>"That would be the one."</p><p>"What if I would rather take a guess at what has you so eager to know the answer to that question in the first place," Katherine proposed, taking note of her companion's almost immediate nod just as she realized his expression seemed to indicate that he doubted her ability to succeed in her chosen endeavor, "You don't think I can do it, do you?"</p><p>"I never said that."</p><p>"It's written all over your face."</p><p>"Now who's being confident?" Chase teased, something in the laughter that was so apparent in his brown eyes prompting a faint flush to Katherine's cheeks before she could fully stop it, "But go ahead. I'm interested to see you try your little parlor trick, even if I don't really think it'll work."</p><p>"What happens when I prove you wrong?"</p><p>"I'll come up with the answer to that when you do."</p><p>"Okay then," Katherine acknowledged, settling back in the chair she occupied, and folding both arms across her chest despite the fact that it was a show of feigned deep thought she highly doubted her companion would not see through in seconds, "Where to begin?"</p><p>"Dealer's choice."</p><p>"You're a tourist. Single, probably unemployed, so that suggests you either come from money, or acquired some in the recent past. You'll tell me if I'm missing anything?"</p><p>"Carry on."</p><p>"You always travel alone, but you never seem to take any of the precautions most in your situation would," Katherine elaborated, watching her companion's expression carefully, and finding herself pleased to note that he appeared to be enjoying this entire charade almost as much as she was, herself, "So you're confident in every aspect of your life, even when you're not attempting to pick up women."</p><p>"Who says I'm not always trying to pick up women?"</p><p>"I'd say the fact that you weren't ready to abandon me when our friend in the stilettos two tables over walked through that front door is a pretty good indication."</p><p>"Oh, her? Hadn't even noticed," Chase remarked, leaning forward so that he could replace the glass of beer on the cardboard coaster nearby, before leaning back with one arm slung against the back of his chair, "You were saying?"</p><p>"I was saying that you appear to be making a living off roaming around the world, spending the majority of your time in places like this to determine exactly how many women you can trap at their tables."</p><p>"And you also said I could correct you if you got anything wrong."</p><p>"I did," Katherine confirmed, pausing for just long enough to down the rest of her own beer, and lifting a brow as she waited for Chase to either acknowledge her suppositions were correct, or come up with some reason to prove her wrong. In truth, she almost found herself looking forward to his reply, no matter what on earth it might be. And although that realization surprised her more than she dared to admit, she was utterly powerless to do anything but wait for her companion to respond, her attention for once fully focused upon him, despite the fact that she knew her own personal agenda had rather decidedly overridden the purpose she had been given upon her arrival.</p><p>Somehow, the prospect of dealing with the consequences of that agenda seemed far less daunting in the wake of the smile her companion gave her before finally deciding to end her suspense once and for all.</p><p>"You had it all right, except for one thing," He began, only breaking his gaze away from hers for just long enough to flag the bartender for another round of beers, before he was turning back, and tilting his head to the side to better gauge her reaction to the confession he was more than a little pleased to make, if for no other reason than to see her expression when he did.</p><p>"I'm not unemployed. And I'm definitely not trying to pick up women."</p><p>"Oh? Why not?"</p><p>"Because from where I'm sitting, I've already got one. And I'm hardly what one would call an overachiever."</p><p>Despite how instinct told her she should be using that particular overly confident remark as her cue to leave, Katherine could not help but allow another laugh to escape, something in the way Chase was sharing in her amusement prompting her to remain exactly where she was. She could not completely explain it—the strange sense of ease she experienced with a practical stranger, of all things. But for some reason, she found herself all but powerless to resist the urge she felt to prolong this conversation for as long as she could, if for no other reason than to assuage the inherent loneliness that seemed to have crept up on her without warning.</p><p>In spite of the fact that she had no shortage of company, most days, with her fellow trainees, there was something about this particular stranger that was almost refreshing…</p><p>…</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Lonely Hearts</h2></a>
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    <p>"So—that's her," Katherine intoned, arms folded across her chest while she regarded the woman lying prone in the hospital bed with one dark brow lifted in obvious surprise, "I have to admit, I expected a bit—a bit—"</p><p>"More?"</p><p>"Honestly? Yes."</p><p>"I do hope you are capable of setting that disappointment aside, my dear. Our friend has quite the colorful past, if you can get her to trust you with it," Greer advised, only the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth giving proof of his amusement over his companion's apparent distaste for their new charge, "You might find yourself learning a great deal."</p><p>"Why can't you just tell me? Wouldn't that be easier than piling all our hopes on whether or not I can earn her trust?"</p><p>"It would be much simpler, Katherine, but that is not what we are about. This is a chance for you to demonstrate your prowess, child. You would be wise to use it as such."</p><p>"And if I fail?" Katherine pressed, uncertainty making itself apparent in her tone, in spite of her desire to avoid it, "What then?"</p><p>"I have every faith in your success, my dear. Let us not consider the prospect of failure until it is upon us."</p><p>Knowing that such a remark could only mean that her companion believed the matter to be settled, Katherine stifled any further reply with a simple nod of acknowledgement, her gaze once again traveling towards the woman in question while a small furrow adorned her brow. She had been given relatively little in the way of direction regarding how best to go about her current task, likely as a direct result of Greer's unwavering belief that she would be better served by figuring out such a thing for herself. Of course, she appreciated the show of faith in her skill, such as it was, no matter how she might have chafed at the prospect of being left in the dark. And perhaps it was that fact, in and of itself, that allowed her to tilt her head to the side just a bit before she heard the telltale crack of her neck that always seemed to settle her resolve whenever she was incapable of doing so, herself, a short huff escaping parted lips before she turned towards the man standing beside her while her arms dropped to her side in the same motion.</p><p>"Shall I, then?"</p><p>"Soon, my dear. Very soon," Greer replied, aware of the apparent confusion that made itself known in Katherine's expression in response to the intimation that she was not to get started right away, though she did manage to sequester that particular emotion not long after it appeared. He knew very well that the slip was only a direct result of exactly how much she trusted him, for he had witnessed first-hand how guarded she could be when in the company of anyone else. But regardless of that realization, he was determined to encourage her to avoid it in future, his tone taking on a more cautionary nature as he broke the silence between them once again.</p><p>"Do you remember what I told you about trust?"</p><p>"It is, almost always, impossible to achieve," Katherine repeated the mantra, her lips thinning into a line as she almost immediately recognized her companion's words for what they were—a gentle chastisement of her carelessness as it pertained to her emotions, even though it was just the two of them. She supposed she could not fault him for it, even in the face of her stubborn refusal to take his advice as it pertained to their own relationship, complicated as it was. He had never told her as much, but Katherine had always suspected that something from her guardian's past had been rather formative when it came to his take on trust and relationships…</p><p>She knew better than to pry, but it would have been a lie to pretend that some small part of her did not hope for a day when the event that had so obviously changed him would no longer be a secret.</p><p>The slight shift in her companion's posture was all that it took to redirect Katherine back to the present, however, blue eyes taking on a more determined cast as she once again permitted them to stray towards her intended charge where she remained in the hospital bed a few feet away. No matter her apprehension as it pertained to her ability to do precisely as her guardian desired, she was all but set upon trying her very best to do whatever was in her power to succeed.</p><p>If her time with Greer had shown her anything, it was that failure was not an option when one had all the tools at their disposal to ensure that things ended differently.</p><p>Steeled by the thought, and perhaps a bit more confident than she had been mere moments ago, Katherine exhaled gently, and turned to place a gentle hand upon her companion's forearm, blue eyes meeting his own as she managed a faint smile before she spoke.</p><p>"I'll get started then, I suppose..."</p><p>"I fear there is one more thing you must undertake, before you can fully begin."</p><p>"Oh?" Katherine replied, her expression turning curious as she regarded the man standing beside her for a beat of silence, with a faint twitch pulling one corner of her lip up into a bemused grin, "And what might that be?"</p><p>"A change in wardrobe," Greer supplied, somewhat pleased that this time, Katherine's expression did not shift at all, in spite of the obvious surprise she must have felt at his declaration, "Our mutual friend seems to possess a mistrust of those that have ties to the government."</p><p>"She thought you were government—"</p><p>"Do try and restrain your amusement, my dear. She has yet to meet and make a judgement on you."</p><p>"And how, pray tell, is a change in wardrobe going to assist me in earning her favor?"</p><p>As if Katherine did not already have some inkling of his reply…</p><p>"That, child, is something you shall have to discover for yourself."</p><p>Knowing that she was not going to be able to obtain anything further as it pertained to an explanation, Katherine granted her guardian the courtesy of a nod of acknowledgement before turning and heading toward the door they had both arrived through around half an hour prior, instinct informing her that whatever wardrobe change she would be expected to make would become abundantly clear as soon as she arrived at the hotel room he had obtained for the duration of her stay. Greer himself would return to headquarters the following morning, to prepare for whatever new venture he had selected for his own benefit. And then, Katherine would be well and truly alone, to sink or swim as she saw fit.</p><p>For a first test of her training, such as it was, it was certainly bound to be interesting…</p><p>…</p><p>(Frankfurt, Germany, November 2009)</p><p>"Glad to see you've made a friend," The familiar drawl of her guardian's right hand man declared, the soft scoff of amusement that Katherine gave in response hardly daunting him as he fell into step beside her the very moment she had entered the hotel lobby, "You did seem rather lonely in that bar."</p><p>"Jealous?" Katherine quipped, directing a smirk towards her newfound companion, and emitting a faint laugh as he took the liberty of giving her a retaliatory jab in the side with his elbow, "Green hardly suits you, Jeremy—"</p><p>"Oh? Because I've always found that it did."</p><p>"Perhaps you need to get your eyes reexamined."</p><p>"I shall take that into consideration," Lambert assured, returning his companion's amused glance with one of his own as the two of them moved towards the bank of gleaming elevators and he extended a hand to press a button that would summon one of them forthwith, "You're later than we expected, you know."</p><p>"Don't tell me you were worried."</p><p>"Not at all. I know how capable you are of getting yourself out of—delicate—situations."</p><p>"You are never going to let me live that down, are you?"</p><p>"When you admit you were perhaps a tad overzealous, I will happily never mention it again."</p><p>"Then I suppose I ought to look forward to hearing about it for the rest of my days," Katherine teased, stepping into the elevator before them as the door slid open, and turning to face her companion as he followed suit almost immediately thereafter, "Have you ever considered that I was simply doing as I was told?"</p><p>"I was unaware your orders involved potentially maiming a man for life."</p><p>"Oh please, it was hardly a near-maiming."</p><p>"Speak for yourself," Jeremy quipped, pressing a thumb against the button for the uppermost floor, before securing both hands inside his suit jacket's pockets, "Any man that gets pummeled where you hit me will tell you it is."</p><p>"It stopped you from taking me down instead, didn't it?"</p><p>"It did."</p><p>"Then I still maintain that I did as I was told," Katherine pressed, leaning against the railing at the back of the elevator, both hands pressed behind her back as she gave her companion an innocent smile, "You can hardly fault a girl for that."</p><p>"Can I fault you for spending too much time talking to strangers, then?" Jeremy inquired, aware of the minute stiffening in Katherine's features, and yet not finding it within his power to care, "We are hardly here to flirt, Katherine."</p><p>"That is nowhere near to what I was doing—"</p><p>"It is very much what it looks like," Lambert persisted, removing one hand from his jacket pocket to stop the elevator in its tracks, and almost immediately stepping in front of Katherine as she moved to step around him and allow it to continue moving once again, "You should consider yourself lucky I was the one watching the entire charade, and not Greer."</p><p>"Should I assume you will be the one covering my discipline, then?"</p><p>"This is not a joke."</p><p>"Oh? Because to me it really does seem like one," Katherine retorted, rocking back on her heels with a huff upon her lips as she tried and failed, once again, to step around her companion to restart the elevator, and thus extract herself from what had become a suddenly unpleasant encounter, "I still got the job done, Jeremy."</p><p>"That, I'm afraid, still remains to be seen."</p><p>"It will never be seen if you keep me in this elevator all day—"</p><p>"Have you ever spared a moment to consider I may be trying to protect you?"</p><p>"You hardly need to."</p><p>"Recent actions prove otherwise," Lambert began, aware of Katherine's almost immediate roll of the eyes, and yet choosing to ignore it in favor of stepping just a bit closer towards her so that he could better gauge her reaction to his next words, "We cannot afford distractions. You know that."</p><p>"So, I'm to believe you've never—indulged—in a few of those distractions, yourself?"</p><p>"Is that your admission that Mister Parker is one as well?"</p><p>"No. It isn't. It's simply my attempt at showing you I'm not the only one who's ever made a judgment call that had the potential for turning out poorly," Katherine stated, once again attempting to move around Jeremy, and this time finding herself successful as he chose to simply step aside as soon as she did so, "Or do I need to remind you of your little fling with Rebecca?"</p><p>"Not so long as you remember what I was prepared to do—what I did do—to rectify the situation," Jeremy cautioned, noting how quickly Katherine froze in response to his suggestion, and suppressing a satisfied grin as he watched her reach forward to press the button that would allow the elevator to resume its journey to the penthouse floor, "Are you prepared to do the same with Mister Parker, should the situation turn dire?"</p><p>"Assuming it ever gets to that point—yes," Katherine replied, wetting her lips with the tip of her tongue as she moved back to the original position she had occupied at the back of the elevator, and did what she could to persuade her expression to remain neutral. Despite having just met the man, she would have been a fool to deny the sudden coil of revulsion that roared to life in her stomach at the mere thought of doing anything to cause Chase Parker harm, and although she could not even begin to comprehend exactly why she felt so reluctant, she knew that she could never permit Jeremy, Greer, or anyone else for that matter to see that hesitation for themselves.</p><p>If she knew anything at all, it was that any weakness she possessed would only be a tool for someone else to possibly use against her, and that whether that someone would be a true enemy, or a person far closer to her than she knew remained to be seen.</p><p>…</p><p>Sequestered in the hotel room after her brief sojourn to the hospital in Dongsheng, Katherine found herself absently staring at the screen of her cell phone, as though the act alone would grant her the capability of ensuring that she received the message she so desired. It was true, what she had told Greer on the plane. She had not heard a word from Chase in a little more than a month, and although she had truthfully done whatever she could to avoid it, that very fact troubled her more than she dared to admit.</p><p>Of course, she was still hardly certain that she had any right to be concerned, as their relationship was hardly what one might call conventional. But regardless of that cause for indecision, she knew on some level that, were the situation reversed, and she was the one who had lapsed in communication, it would be all she could do to keep Chase from hunting her down, himself.</p><p>In spite of herself, a faint smile rose to her lips at the prospect, her gaze once again drifting to her phone as she thumbed through the applications until she found the one for photographs she had saved along the way. Most were of landmarks involved in her travels with the man who had plucked her from the streets of Seattle what seemed like ages ago, now, though a few were of a more personal nature, as well. And it was one of those more personal photos that she sought, now, her smile only growing as she flicked through the pictures until she found the one she was searching for.</p><p>A bystander had snapped it for her as she and Chase stood side by side on a pier overlooking the water near Venice a year ago, his arm slung across her shoulder, and dimples showing prominently as he had just managed to make her laugh in the middle of the photograph's inception. They had met in secret, while she was in the midst of another trip with her guardian, this time to snatch up someone he believed would be a prominent new recruit to have in their arsenal. At the time, Greer still had no idea of her involvement with someone outside of their own often restrictive little circle of associates, or at least, so she thought. And in spite of how she had known from the start that it had been a foolish idea, Katherine had been absolutely incapable of denying him his simple request of seeing her again, as they had already done a few times since their initial encounter in Frankfurt.</p><p>It was as though she was suddenly able to connect with someone on a truly genuine level, in spite of the fact that she had been taught nearly her entire life to do the exact opposite, and she was not prepared to give that up—not yet.</p><p>Chase Parker had been the one to grant her a reprieve from her loneliness, and Katherine would be damned if she let that slip away, no matter the cost to her pride.</p><p>Suddenly determined by such a thought, the young woman swiped her thumb against the screen of her cell phone once again, this time to dial the number she knew, now, by heart. She knew she would not have time for a lengthy conversation, particularly if she did not wish to prompt suspicion from Greer over a delay in her return. But suddenly, in the face of her impending first foray into the task she had been set, it would have been a lie had Katherine pretended she did not desire to give herself the small comfort of hearing a familiar voice.</p><p>Surprisingly enough, Chase picked up on the second ring, the fact causing Katherine to freeze for a moment as she scrambled for a plan on how to proceed. The past few times she had attempted to contact him, she had gone straight to voicemail, and half of those times she had simply hung up without leaving anything in response. But now that she could hear his voice again, she was curiously unsure of how to proceed, only just managing to shake herself from her newfound distraction as Chase's cautious enthusiasm turned to almost immediate concern in light of her silence on the other end of the line.</p><p>"Hey—you okay?"</p><p>"Yeah—yeah, I'm fine," Katherine affirmed, running a hand through dark hair in abject frustration over her lapse in attentiveness, and exhaling in a rush in hopes that it would cause her sudden apprehension to leave her every bit as quickly, "How—how are you?"</p><p>"In desperate need of a vacation," Chase replied, the exaggerated exhaustion he forced into his tone provoking a more genuine laugh from the young woman who had contacted him than she initially believed herself capable of, "New gig's been working my ass off. You?"</p><p>"About to start a new thing myself. Kind of nervous."</p><p>"Come on, you're the superstar, not me. You've got absolutely no reason to be nervous."</p><p>"Speak for yourself. My esteem in the eyes of the big boss kind of depends upon my success," Katherine argued, a sigh escaping as she moved towards the sliding glass door that led onto the balcony beyond, her eyes narrowing just a bit beneath the brilliance of the setting sun, "I might just end up turning into the black sheep."</p><p>"Not possible."</p><p>"You seem awfully sure of yourself, Mister Parker."</p><p>"Only because I have a very good reason to be," Chase encouraged, the silence on the other end of the line giving him reason to believe that Katherine was actually listening to him, for once, instead of immediately moving to contradict his faith in her abilities without second thought, "If you didn't know what you were doing, you wouldn't even be—well—wherever you are—to begin with."</p><p>"Is that your way of fishing for my location?"</p><p>"That depends. Is it working?"</p><p>"Maybe," Katherine laughed, smiling in spite of herself, and bringing her free hand to her cheek to feel the predictable, and not entirely unwanted flush that had begun to spread across the skin in response to his obvious teasing remark, "You know, eventually you're going to get tired of following me all over the globe."</p><p>"I highly doubt that."</p><p>"And that is just further proof that you have horrible judgment."</p><p>"I'll take that as a compliment."</p><p>"You really, really shouldn't."</p><p>"Seems to me that's my choice, though, isn't it?" Chase teased, amusement apparent in the question, and thus prompting a small laugh from his companion in response, "Where are you, kitten?"</p><p>"I am not telling you if you insist on that ridiculous nickname," Katherine promised, once again laughing even in the face of the cringe that passed over her features as soon as the pet name Chase had given her specifically as a means of making her blush reached her ears, "You'll just have to figure it out yourself."</p><p>"An impossible task."</p><p>"For a man who just started working for a surveillance company? I highly doubt that."</p><p>"You might find yourself surprised," Chase informed, his own soft laughter echoing through the line before he attempted to plead for her location once again, "Come on, Kat—where are you?"</p><p>"You're awfully determined, for a man who left me hanging for a month, you know," The young woman countered, suddenly unsure of her decision to contact the man that had, as she had said, been incommunicado for far longer than she realized she was fully comfortable with, "Maybe I shouldn't make it that easy for you."</p><p>"Would you allow me to make it up to you? I promise, I have a very good explanation, if you're at all willing to hear it."</p><p>"You can make it up to me," Katherine agreed, chewing idly at her lower lip for a moment, before coming to a rather sudden decision that had her smiling, almost against all logic, just as it very nearly allowed her to forget her misgivings over Chase's previous lack of response to her calls and texts in the same motion, "But only if you find me on your own."</p><p>Before Chase could make any form of protest, Katherine disconnected the call, something not all that far from foolish optimism prompting her to stifle a small grin, before she was turning back from the balcony, and placing the phone on a nearby table so she could begin to change her clothes, as Greer had instructed back at the hospital. She wanted to believe he would find her. She wanted it so fiercely she could feel it in her bones. And although the more realistic side of her was already concocting hundreds of reasons why it would never work—why she had simply signed herself up for one in another string of endless disappointments when it came to proving her guardian was wrong about the nature of relationships, Katherine forced those thoughts to the side in favor of simply focusing upon the task at hand, the smile she bore never quite leaving her lips as she contemplated the prospect of not being so alone in Dongsheng as she had initially feared.</p><p>If Chase Parker did manage to find her here without so much as a hint of direction, perhaps it would mean their relationship, such as it was, meant more to him than she thought…</p><p>…</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Introductions and Subterfuge</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Dongsheng, China, 2011)</p><p>"Well? What do you think?" Katherine inquired, stepping through the doorway that led to the room in which her would-be charge was still resting, the lights dimmed so that the beds that lined each of the walls stood out as white-sheeted blurs. Her guardian still stood resolutely at the forefront of the room, so still that she honestly suspected he may not have moved at all since she left—something that had her lips turning up at the corners for a moment as she moved to stand at his side, while his own gaze turned towards her appearance.</p><p>"Very convincing, my dear," He replied, amusement apparent in his tone even as he turned away from Katherine once again to redirect his focus to the dark haired woman lying prone upon one of the hospital beds stationed against the wall, "I trust you are prepared for the evening ahead?"</p><p>"As prepared as I can be."</p><p>"Good. I have a feeling the two of you will get on splendidly."</p><p>"It might be easier to get on with her if she was actually awake, you know."</p><p>"I trust you will think of something," Greer assured, something almost akin to amusement flickering across his blue eyes for just a moment, before it was gone and Katherine was left to wonder if it had ever truly been there at all, "You almost always do."</p><p>"Fortunately for me, I suppose."</p><p>"Fortunate indeed."</p><p>"And where will you be, while I'm busy making friends?" Katherine asked, turning just a bit to face her guardian, and furrowing her brow a bit as she took in the now-familiar unreadability of his expression, despite their many years together, learning one another's quirks.</p><p>"I will be where I am needed, my dear. As I always am."</p><p>"Are you going to tell me where that may be?"</p><p>"I return to the states in two days."</p><p>"So soon?" Katherine breathed, unable to entirely keep the shock from her tone, despite the fact that she was reluctant to give the impression she feared being left to her own devices so quickly, "Are you sure that's wise?"</p><p>"I am. And you ought to be as well," Greer advised, turning just a bit so as to face Katherine head-on, and lifting a brow as her expression seemed to fracture for just a moment, before rearranging itself into her usual neutral mask, "As always, you are free to call if you run into difficulties."</p><p>"I don't plan on running into difficulties."</p><p>"Splendid. I shall leave you to it, then," Greer acknowledged, beginning to move away from his young charge, only to stop halfway to the door, to deliver one final directive over his shoulder, "And Katherine?"</p><p>"Yes?"</p><p>"Zachary will be arriving shortly, to ensure nothing goes awry if our friend's CIA compatriots learn of her true fate. I trust you can ensure his stay will be hospitable?"</p><p>"Absolutely," Katherine promised, her lips thinning just a bit at the news, as Zachary had never been one of her favorites, "Though I think I may be capable of handling things myself, if that does come to pass."</p><p>"One can never be too careful, my dear. And I, for one, am not prepared to gamble with your life as yet. Not when you are meant for far greater things than this."</p><p>Before Katherine could say or do anything in response to such a cryptic statement, she found herself staring after Greer's retreating form, her teeth coming to chew at her lower lip while both arms folded across her chest. In truth, she was more than a little unsure of her prospects in this apparent mission, though she would be damned if she ever allowed her guardian to gain access to that fact. Since she had known him, he had made no secret of the fact that self-doubt was something to be squashed down at every opportunity.</p><p>She was not prepared to give him any reason to doubt her capabilities when he so clearly seemed to think that she was far better than what she believed herself to be at the present.</p><p>Steeled by such a thought, Katherine turned her attention back to the woman in the hospital bed once more, her arms dropping back to her side as she stepped forward to reach for the file folder that was secured in a small tray at the foot of the bed. If nothing else, she knew it would serve her well to learn as much as she could about her new companion before she awoke.</p><p>Whether or not she was fully confident in her probabilities of success, here, Katherine was determined to give herself as much of an advantage as she possibly could, consequences be damned.</p><p>…</p><p>Some hours later, Katherine still remained ensconced in the chair beside the hospital bed, her gaze roaming over the information contained in the file on her companion for what felt like the thousandth time since Greer had left her on her own. As it turned out, the woman she had been left in charge of had quite the decorated past, with missions in Hungary, Afghanistan, Prague, and Paris, to name a few. What piqued her interest most of all, however, was the sparse amount of documentation surrounding a trip to Ordos some months prior to the current date…</p><p>It seemed that particular journey was what had landed this woman in the state she was in right now.</p><p>The paper housing the information on the woman's time in Ordos said relatively little about the true details of the mission, save for acquiring something stolen by the Chinese. From what she read, Katherine could only surmise that the excursion, such as it was, had failed, resulting in the reported deaths of both the woman lying before her, and another man that remained unnamed, in the process. And although she did not yet have a clue as to how she was to obtain more information on that matter, Katherine suspected that doing just that was precisely why Greer had left her here, to begin with.</p><p>He had always possessed a way of directing her to tasks, and then standing back while she figured out the motives behind those tasks on her own, even when she was still a young girl, trying to discern her place in his world when it had seemed so startling that he would choose to take her under his wing in the first place. A faint smile passed over her features as she recalled the mile-a-minute questions she threw his way, and how patiently he had answered every one, despite how obnoxious they must have been. In truth, she had grown to admire that steadfastness in his character, even more so after he had never once given in to her suspicions that he would eventually tire of her presence and cast her out on her own once more. But before she could spend too much time occupied with such distracted thoughts, a slight stirring coming from the bed before her diverted her attention, her heart beginning to race just a bit in apprehension as she closed the folder she held in her lap and set it upon the table beside her so that she might turn her gaze upon the woman that was just waking up.</p><p>"She wakes," Katherine murmured, cocking her head to the side to regard her now conscious companion with an expression she hoped would seem innocent, just as her cover intended. Moving to stand, she made a show of investigating the screen situated just above the woman's bed, where her vitals scrolled across in evenly spaced intervals, ready with alarms, should any one of them go awry.</p><p>Something that she fervently prayed did not happen, as her medical expertise extended to stitching up minor wounds and administering anti-inflammatories for fever.</p><p>"Can I get you anything? Food? Water?" The young woman went on, stepping back from her investigation of the screen, and once again returning her gaze to her would-be patient, "I'm told dying can be thirsty work."</p><p>"I'm fine," The patient bit back, brown eyes narrowing as they regarded the woman in nurse's uniform stood before her bed, "Who are you?"</p><p>"Your nurse."</p><p>"Most nurses don't make a habit of sitting by their patient's bedside. Who are you?"</p><p>"Someone you can trust," Katherine replied, returning to her seat, and crossing her legs at the knees before going on, "I am not here to hurt you. I am here to help you heal."</p><p>"You will forgive me if I choose not to believe you."</p><p>"Maybe. Maybe not. I suppose only time will tell."</p><p>Katherine supposed she ought to have expected nothing less than this defiant show of resistance, the memory of what her guardian had told her before his departure returning to the forefront of her mind. The woman she stood sentry over had been hardened by her experiences. She had been turned into someone that would never trust another soul at first glance, no matter how genuine that person may appear to be on the surface. And although that fact made Katherine's job more difficult, by far, than it might otherwise have been, she found that she almost enjoyed the prospect of attempting to crack through the barriers this woman had so clearly erected after countless betrayals at the hands of those she had once believed in.</p><p>For the first time since learning of her purpose, here, Katherine finally felt that perhaps she was not as doomed to fail as she had feared, the idea of enacting the self-same tactics Greer had, himself, when earning her trust so long ago suddenly seeming far more profitable than she had initially believed.</p><p>If nothing else, it would buy her a little more time to think of an alternative option, should the first one she tried fail…</p><p>"I suppose I should let you rest, for now," She began, once again eyeing the woman in the hospital bed, and suppressing a smirk as she took in the expression that so clearly seemed to indicate she saw Katherine's retreat as a victory, and not a mere reprieve, in spite of her ensuing remark.</p><p>"You need only call out if you need me, Miss Stanton. I have no intention of going anywhere."</p><p>Her orders, such as they were, would allow for nothing less.</p><p>…</p><p>(Frankfurt, Germany, November 2009)</p><p>"I trust your outing was a success," The now-familiar sound of her guardian's voice reached her ears as she moved into the open doorway of the hotel room, with Jeremy remaining silent at her side, "Or you would not be returning to us so quickly."</p><p>"It was," Katherine confirmed, sending Jeremy a sharp glance as she heard his muted snort of amusement, and then turning her gaze towards the elderly man standing beside the window that would lead out to a spacious balcony, should they ever choose to use it, "I found the couple you told me about."</p><p>"And did you learn anything by observing them?"</p><p>"I did."</p><p>"Go on."</p><p>"They were exactly where you said they'd be. And they appear to be far more than they want people to think."</p><p>"How so?" Greer inquired, still keeping his focus on the balcony beyond the window he stood before, with hands folded behind his back and feet shoulder-width apart. The stance reminded Katherine of so many times when she was a girl, brought before him for either instruction, or reprimand if she had gone too far out of turn. But before she could allow herself to be daunted by such a thing, Katherine moved to stand beside him, ever so poignantly aware of Jeremy hovering at her other side while she did so.</p><p>"They were making a great deal of effort to appear inconspicuous. Over-playing their affection for one another—"</p><p>"Could it be they are genuinely in love?" Jeremy interrupted, earning himself another glance from the young woman standing beside him, though the acidity in her expression did not come close to persuading him to back down, "Things like that do exist, I imagine."</p><p>"No one is that blinded by love."</p><p>"Forgive me. I had forgotten you were so cynical."</p><p>"Not cynical, Jeremy. Simply realistic."</p><p>"You are both allowing yourselves to come to distraction," Greer interceded, the sternness inherent in his tone causing both of his younger companions to fall silent, which was precisely as he had planned. In truth, he did not mind their near to constant banter, as it gave ample evidence to the tentative friendship that had arisen between them, even in spite of their differing stations. But now was not the time for such frivolity, not when there was work to be done—and so he did what he could to put their antics to a stop, at least for now, turning to face them both in turn before speaking once again.</p><p>"Continue, Katherine. I am eager to discover what you learned."</p><p>"I believe they were attempting to watch someone, or something," The young woman explained, wetting her lips with her tongue as a small flutter of nerves threatened to overtake her beneath the weight of her guardian's steady gaze, and exhaling as softly as she could before going on, "Though of course I still have not a clue what that something is."</p><p>"I trust you will learn in time," Greer assured, aware of Katherine's slight frown that came in response to his assertion, and suppressing a grin of his own at the familiar flare of her impatience, "You will never become what you are meant to be if you are handed every answer you desire without effort, my dear."</p><p>"I am aware."</p><p>"Then perhaps some rest is in order. You have, after all, had a rather long day."</p><p>"Is that your attempt to get rid of me?" Katherine teased, savoring the rare half-smile that Greer gave her in response to her jest, before it was gone as quickly as it had come, "I think you will find I am not as easily swayed as that."</p><p>"It is my attempt to keep you operating at your best. Sleep, Katherine. We will convene again, on the morrow."</p><p>Recognizing the order for exactly what it was, Katherine was left with nothing to do but spare a faint nod, before turning on a heel and heading back towards the hotel room door, a slight tingle of apprehension racing down her spine as she registered the manner in which Jeremy almost immediately moved to take her place at her guardian's side. She knew, somehow, that as soon as she had removed herself from their presence, they would fall to discussing her progress. And inasmuch as that awareness seemed unwanted, she was poignantly aware of how powerless she would be to stop it, no matter how hard she tried.</p><p>She would simply have to do as she was told, and hope that Jeremy held true to his word, and did not disclose the other encounter she had endured in the course of her outing to Greer, himself.</p><p>…...</p><p>After Katherine's departure, Greer turned back toward the window once more, his gaze turning pensive in the reflection presented by the glass before him. For a moment, he simply remained as he was, silent, and reflective in spite of the steady presence of the younger man at his side. And, precisely as he had wished, Lambert took that silence as an entreaty to begin his own version of events, having seen them in one of the many surveillance feeds that had been monitoring their young charge from afar, his expression as always partially amused as he spoke.</p><p>"She did well today," He informed, stowing both hands in his pockets, and watching the reflection stood beside him in the glass of the window for a moment, before elaborating further, "You have taught her well."</p><p>"As have you, Mister Lambert. She has grown under your guidance."</p><p>"It is a pleasure to hear it, sir."</p><p>"Do try not to let it go to your head. Pride so very often goeth before a fall—"</p><p>"Of course," Jeremy agreed, suppressing a soft chuckle at the earnest nature of his superior's words, and finding himself momentarily distracted at the thought of how the statement applied not only to him, but Greer's young ward, as well, "Shall I pass your advice on to Katherine, as well?"</p><p>"Katherine is well aware of it, already. In spite of her more reckless instincts, I believe she has taken the lesson to heart."</p><p>"Those instincts have always managed to make me wonder where she learned them," The younger man mused, this time unable to mask his amusement as he realized Greer was turning to direct a curious glance his way, thus prompting him to attempt to explain his words as best he could, "Certainly not from you."</p><p>"I suspect it is a familial trait. Rest assured, it will be rooted out, eventually."</p><p>"From her mother, perhaps?"</p><p>"Hardly. Much of what she knew of that woman was riddled with death and illness," Greer disagreed, aware of Jeremy's expression of mild surprise, and yet ignoring it in favor of speaking further, "Her father seems the more likely origin."</p><p>"You said she never knew him."</p><p>"That does not mean she would not emulate his actions, from time to time."</p><p>"Exactly how long were you watching her?" Jeremy asked, curiosity apparent in his tone, despite the fact he knew he was only partially assured of a forthright answer from the man that stood beside him, "She was only a child."</p><p>"A child I knew would one day be of use. Or have you forgotten how nearly every one of our associates has prospered after enduring hardships that would end a person with less inherent strength?"</p><p>"I haven't forgotten, sir—"</p><p>"Good. See to it that you never do," Greer ordered, pleased that his directive had effectively silenced his younger companion's questions, and using that sudden quiet to turn to face Lambert head-on, "I should so hate to be forced to question your ability to enhance Katherine's prospects with us on account of an insatiable curiosity over her past."</p><p>In lieu of any attempt at a reply, Jeremy found himself only capable of managing a curt nod, his gaze never once leaving his superior's frame as the older man turned on a heel and began to make for the door. In truth, he ought to have known the man would never give clarity as to his true motivations behind keeping Katherine close, no matter how capable Jeremy himself knew he was. And although he knew he would likely play hell succeeding in getting the information straight from the source, a strange sort of determination to do exactly that soon took over, his lips quirking into a grin as he returned his attention towards the window, and allowed his gaze to roam aimlessly over the scenery, beyond.</p><p>Somehow, he had grabbed hold of the thought that getting to the bottom of the elusive enigma that was Katherine Greer would prove far more entertaining than anything he had yet to set his mind to, and he would be damned if he allowed that opportunity to slip through his fingers without a fight.</p><p>…...</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Bravado and Lies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Dongsheng, China, 2011)</p><p>The woman in the hospital bed opened her eyes once more almost as soon as the sound of her newfound companion's footsteps receded from the room, a muscle twitching at her jawline while she tilted her head to the side to stare towards the windows on the opposite side of the room with unseeing eyes. She had known, almost from the first glance, that the dark-haired woman who had seemed so resolute at the side of her hospital bed was not the nurse she pretended to be. She could tell simply from the almost lazy way that the younger woman had been thumbing through her medical file, as well as the polished accent apparent in her words as she spoke. She was almost capable of keeping her guard up, the patient supposed, though not quite good enough for her to miss the small flicker of uncertainty that passed across her youthful features as soon as her words had been called into question.</p><p>It was that small flicker that had intrigued the older woman, though she made quite the show of pretending otherwise until her companion had departed from the room.</p><p>Of course, she had no interest in cooperating with the woman, no matter how she intrigued her. She would resist inclusion in whatever it was that her newest acquaintance seemed to be a part of, every bit as much as she had avoided showing any genuine interest in the motives of the elderly man that had hounded her mere weeks prior. A niggling suspicion that the two recent arrivals were working together had formed in her mind, even with the pervasive fog of painkillers that had been flowing in her veins in an effort to help her to heal. But even that supposition was not entirely enough to deter her from the more startling realization that had hit her with all the force of a head on collision, her lips thinning into a line as she thought back to when she had first truly looked at the woman's eyes.</p><p>Blue-green, with a knack for shifting to a lighter shade depending upon the mood of their owner at the present, the woman's eyes had very nearly caused a fracture in the carefully composed façade she always erected when in the presence of any save those in her own inner circle. The patient had believed herself free of a captivating gaze such as the one she now fell beneath, particularly in light of the events that had unfolded in the last few months prior to her hospitalization. But in spite of her thoughts, and quite honestly, her hopes to the contrary, that desire only proved itself to be futile. Kara would never have missed those eyes, not even if she had been half-blind, herself.</p><p>It was like looking into the eyes of a god-damned ghost.</p><p>Though the owner of those eyes had disappeared, it felt to Kara as though she was still at her bedside, gazing at her with what was so clearly meant to convey an almost negligent sense of ease. The woman was young—so very young, though it was apparent in her gaze and the manner in which she held herself that she had already seen more than enough of the world to have at least some inkling of her place in it. It was readily apparent that this girl—for, to Kara, that was exactly what she was, despite her demeanor—had been raised with a strict sense of purpose. A steadfast belief that her course was preordained. In truth, she almost reminded the patient of the older gentleman who had visited her some unknown period of time prior, the days having taken on the nasty habit of blurring together in the wake of her immobility and lapses in consciousness. And although she had not the first idea as to how a woman such as that would ever find herself aligned with a man of her former companion's caliber, particularly given her newly developed suspicion of just who said woman may be connected to, Kara was all but certain that she was right to believe what she did.</p><p>The two of them were working together. She knew that as surely as she knew her own name.</p><p>In light of such a realization, the patient found her curiosity only growing, in spite of her almost willful desire to remain aloof, keeping her silence until her newfound acquaintance tired of attempting to get her to talk. Of course, she still had absolutely no intention about being fully forthcoming, no matter how fiercely her young companion might attempt otherwise.</p><p>Still, that did not mean she could not do a little digging, herself, to see exactly what this young woman would do to keep her happy…</p><p>After all she had suffered at the hands of her handlers—at the hands of her own damned country—Kara felt she was owed absolutely nothing less.</p><p>…</p><p>The sound of a harsh knock upon the hotel room door rather effectively jolted Katherine from her thoughts over how her first official encounter with the woman known as Kara Stanton had gone, blue eyes narrowing as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, and padded towards the door to glance through the peephole. With a sigh, she unlocked and opened the door not that long thereafter, one brow quirked as she watched the man on the other side enter the room without so much as a word, as though he belonged there, her lips curving into a sardonic smile before she shut the door once more, and turned to glance at the newcomer in her room.</p><p>"I'm fantastic, Zachary, how are you?"</p><p>"You and I both know I was not sent here to chat," The newcomer replied, stepping over towards the window that overlooked the street below, and shifting the curtain aside just a bit to allow for a clearer glance at the cars passing by, "This room is—sound."</p><p>"Of course it is. Greer selected it. For me," Katherine said, folding both arms across her chest, and watching in utter astonishment as Zachary turned to face her from the window with something not all that far from boredom apparent in his expression, "Hopefully your own accommodations prove equal to the task as well."</p><p>"According to the concierge, the hotel is already at full occupancy."</p><p>"This room has one bed—"</p><p>"Floor's better anyway," Zachary deadpanned, his face never once betraying whatever his own opinions may have been about their current state of affairs, "My job is not to hinder your progress here, Miss Greer."</p><p>"Oh well that's wonderful. I would so hate to see you reduced to a babysitter for someone who can damned well take care of herself."</p><p>"You know of your target's history. You know who might come after her, if they find she is still alive."</p><p>"And you know I've been training for long enough to be able to handle a few suits from the CIA."</p><p>"They will not be as easy to evade as you think. That you believe they will be only speaks to your inexperience," Zachary cautioned, very clearly intending to ignore the flash of aggravation in Katherine's expression in favor of going on, "If they find her, or you, they will kill you both."</p><p>"They are not going to find us," Katherine argued, stepping just a bit further into the room she had initially planned on having to herself, and leaning a shoulder against the nearby wall, "You can't possibly think I would be that reckless."</p><p>"I don't think anything one way or another. You haven't had the chance to prove yourself."</p><p>"And how am I meant to get that chance if I'm watched day and night?"</p><p>"As I said before, I am here for your protection. Yours, and Miss Stanton's," Zachary informed, noting the slight twitch of a muscle in Katherine's jaw, and holding both hands out in a gesture of surrender in response, "Nothing more, nothing less."</p><p>Knowing she could not argue—not really, with Zachary's presence coming as a direct result of one of Greer's orders, Katherine did what she could to resettle her expression into something a bit less openly hostile, all the while managing a simple nod. Of course, she knew her aggravation with the man now in her company was not entirely fair. Not when he had voiced no doubt of her capabilities himself, beyond the usual skepticism she knew very well new recruits received on their first mission. But something inside her still rankled at the prospect of having him here—particularly having him here in the same room. And so, she could not entirely persuade herself to be genuinely civil to a man who so clearly was only trying to do his job.</p><p>Not yet, anyway.</p><p>Whether it was foolish, or childish, or something else entirely, however, Katherine did what she could to force such a feeling to the back of her mind in hopes that the report she knew Zachary was all too likely prepared to give their superior would not reflect poorly on her in any way. She was determined—desperate, even—for this first solo outing of hers to go smoothly. And if that meant she had to tolerate the presence of a man she knew would be carefully watching her every move, then that is precisely what she would do.</p><p>"If you're going to be staying here for the next few days, then I suppose there are a few things I should warn you about," She managed, silently surprised that she was able to keep her tone even, regardless of the inner turmoil she experienced at this newfound development, "For one, I don't cook. So, you're on your own for meals."</p><p>"Duly noted."</p><p>"And second, when it comes to first dibs on showers, that's all mine."</p><p>"Fair enough," Zachary acknowledged, the faint flicker of something akin to amusement passing over his features before he was turning back to the window, and his intent observation of the goings on below in the streets. He knew, of course, that she was only trying to reassert her dominance, so to speak, after the initial shock of his appearance and intent to share the room had worn off. And although it was practically the calling card of every new recruit he had ever encountered, the tall operative was very well aware that choosing to do anything other than simply accept Katherine's terms, such as they were, would only make things more tense between them than they already may be, his ensuing silence allowing the girl to return to her former position on the bed, thumbing through an old magazine though he noted that her eyes never actually moved across the pages to indicate actual reading…</p><p>For now, at least, it seemed they may have arrived at a truce.</p><p>…</p><p>(Frankfurt, Germany, November 2009)</p><p>A few days following her time spent observing the elderly couple in the bar, Katherine found herself aimlessly wandering the city streets whilst her guardian and Jeremy were otherwise occupied, a strange sort of peace settling in her mind in spite of her presence in an as yet unfamiliar place. Naturally, some part of her was aware that such a sensation was almost entirely on account of the man walking beside her, his arm every so often brushing against her side. But regardless of the strange sort of comfort she found herself able to take in the presence of a practical stranger, Katherine was hardly willing to admit to such a reality aloud, her lips curving into a faint smile as she realized in the wake of her silence, her companion had taken the liberty of speaking himself.</p><p>"So—where to, my lady?"</p><p>"I'm hardly a lady," Katherine replied, lifting a brow as she eyed her companion, and found that he was almost immediately laughing in response to her quip, "What? It's true!"</p><p>"It was a term of endearment."</p><p>"I see."</p><p>"You don't sound convinced," Chase remarked, stowing both hands inside his jacket pockets, and jogging to catch up with his newfound acquaintance as she slipped through a small crowd of gawkers standing outside a bar, and he was forced to temporarily fall behind, "Why is that, I wonder?"</p><p>"If you have to ask, you'll never know."</p><p>"Oh really?"</p><p>"Really," Katherine confirmed, chewing at the inside of her cheek to restrain a laugh as she took note of Chase's suddenly determined expression in the wake of her attempt to prove elusive, "I'm not one for giving away secrets so easily."</p><p>"That have anything to do with your little spy routine in the bar the other day?"</p><p>"It might."</p><p>"And you aren't going to tell me anything, even if it does."</p><p>"He learns quickly. I'm impressed."</p><p>"You do realize you can trust me, right?" Chase pressed, aware of the soft snort Katherine had given in response to his assertion, and yet choosing to go on, regardless, "Or is that the sort of thing that's not wired into your DNA?"</p><p>"Oh, it's there. It's just not all that easy to come by."</p><p>"Why is that?"</p><p>"Why? You really have to ask?" The young woman scoffed, coming to a stop at a nearby intersection, and rocking back on her heels as a car sped by, ruffling the hem of her jacket in passing. In truth, despite how every instinct she possessed was practically screaming at her to keep her silence, she was not blind to how something else entirely seemed to detect that she could, in fact, trust this man…</p><p>That small voice alone scared her more than she cared to admit.</p><p>Although she was still very new, at least as it pertained to the line of work her guardian desired for her, she had learned very early on that allowing herself to be vulnerable never ended well. She had learned that even before Greer had found her wandering the streets. But something about the man standing beside her, waiting for the traffic signal to indicate it was safe for them to cross the street felt different on an almost integral level from any other person she had encountered, before. And she found herself fighting against every single experience that she had endured thus far in simply allowing him to remain at her side, when she knew she ought to have ended their acquaintance immediately after their first encounter, her lips pursing into a frown as she realized she had already let her guard down far more than she knew she should.</p><p>"Hey—you good?" The man in question asked, effectively startling his companion out of her internal musings, and forcing her to don a half-smile that did not entirely reach her eyes, as a result before she replied.</p><p>"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."</p><p>"You sure?"</p><p>"Of course," Katherine assured, moving to cross the intersection as soon as she was able, with Chase falling into step at her side once more, "You've never gotten lost in your own thoughts before?"</p><p>"Oh, all the time. But I usually try to avoid that when I'm having a conversation with someone."</p><p>"Forgive me. Next time, I'll make sure to try and remember my manners."</p><p>"There's going to be a next time, then," Chase said, a self-satisfied grin taking over his features, and prompting his companion to swat at his side, only to find the gesture rendered ineffective as soon as he grabbed her hand, and threaded her fingers through his own, "I like the sound of that."</p><p>"Can I have my hand back, now? Seeing as you're so pleased—"</p><p>"No. No, I don't think so."</p><p>"Chase—" Katherine pleaded, glancing down at their entwined hands as soon as they had reached the relative safety of the sidewalk once again, and chewing at her lower lip as she fought the instinctive urge to tug her hand away. It was not that the contact was unpleasant. Far from it, in fact. But she could practically hear the warning bells in her mind at the prospect of allowing this man to get too close, and the dissonance created by instinct, and what she knew, on some level, simply felt right was almost too much for her to bear.</p><p>"Chase, can I please have my hand back?"</p><p>"Is it really that important to you for me to say yes?" Chase asked, registering his companion's apparent unease, and frowning a bit as he simultaneously took in her almost immediate nod in response.</p><p>"It is."</p><p>"Okay. Okay, it's yours. But can I get you to promise me one thing, in return?"</p><p>"Are you going to give me any other option besides saying yes?"</p><p>"Not really, no."</p><p>"Okay. Shoot," Katherine consented, unable to resist the slight tug of a smile at the corner of her mouth in response to the almost instantaneous smirk that spread across his own, "And please, for the love of God, don't make me regret this…"</p><p>"Promise me that you'll give me a chance. Eventually," Chase began, holding out a hand to forestall Katherine's obvious attempt to open her mouth to chastise him so that he could finish his thought before he lost his nerve.</p><p>"A girl like you? I've got a feeling someone like that will do far better with a few friends in her corner, rather than trying to face every storm in this world on her own."</p><p>Whether she ever chose to admit it or not, something about the young woman stood beside him seemed all but desperate for a connection, and attempting to thwart that desire would only do her more harm than good.</p><p>…</p><p>"Who is he?" Greer intoned, stood before the monitors in the room they had sequestered themselves in for a closer observation of the activities of various potential assets, and threats. He had been watching his young charge for quite some time after her rapid departure, having decided to allow her her freedom before setting her to her next task, and now realizing that perhaps such a decision had been a mistake. In spite of her dedication to their business, here, and her vehement declaration that she would allow herself no distractions, it appeared that she had not been entirely forthcoming. The man walking beside her had invaded her own personal space more times than not, during the course of their travels, and Greer had even observed genuine laughter in his charge's responses to whatever it was the man had said. But, regardless of his initial desire to deploy Jeremy to obtain the young man in question, the older man had now opted for simply observing as he had been for the past several minutes, a new idea taking form in his mind to replace the initial thought born out of sheer protective instinct, alone.</p><p>He of all people knew that such a selfish motive had to be squashed as soon as possible in favor of the greater good…</p><p>With such a thought in mind, Greer turned toward the man standing on his left, his expression indicating nothing less than that he expected an immediate reply. He could trust Lambert to give him one, of course, regardless of his rather obvious affinity for his young charge. And so, the older man simply settled back to allow his second in command the requisite time to formulate a reply, his expression unreadable, as always, while he waited in silence.</p><p>"American," Jeremy informed, the tone behind the simple word indicating just the slightest bit of scorn, though he was able to elaborate further, without hindering progress, "Unemployed. A tourist, by the looks of it, under the name of Chase Parker, if his passport is to be believed."</p><p>"No ties to foreign intelligence? American, or otherwise?"</p><p>"None that are forthcoming, sir."</p><p>"And yet he seems to have taken particular interest in our young protégé," Greer insisted, once again shifting to glance at the monitor depicting the two individuals that had so effectively garnered his interest, and noting how they appeared to have come to a stop at a busy intersection before going on, "What could he want, I wonder?"</p><p>"To get under her skin, perhaps. From the looks of things, I would say his endeavor might just be a success."</p><p>"And it would be there that we disagree, Mister Lambert. He has not won any victories, at least not at the present."</p><p>"She is letting her guard down," Jeremy countered, glancing at the two individuals in question, and allowing a furrow to crease his brow as he saw how eagerly Katherine's newfound companion seemed to make a grab for her hand, "I can see it from here."</p><p>"Then I would have to recommend you look again. Her face would appear to indicate the opposite"</p><p>"How—"</p><p>"Look again, Mister Lambert," Greer repeated, something not all that far from pride coloring his tone as he watched Katherine eventually succeed in releasing her hand from the stranger's grasp, her expression indicating that she felt nothing but relief at the loss of contact, no matter how brief that connection had been, "Perhaps she recognizes a potential asset, and has thus chosen to keep him close."</p><p>"So we would be wise to question her about him," Jeremy suggested, flexing the tense muscles of his shoulders such that the fabric of his suit strained just a bit against the movement, and suddenly finding himself surprised to note that Greer had responded to his advice with a curt shake of the head, "Why not?"</p><p>"Because, Jeremy. If we force her to reveal her methods this soon in the game, we may damage the plans she already has in motion. Allow her to play out her little ruse, for now," Greer instructed, ignoring his companion's very obvious skepticism over his directive, and turning on a heel to head away from the monitors, and towards the room he had selected for his own, "I have always found granting new recruits some independence in their early endeavors proves far more instructive than dictating their every move."</p><p>"Sir?"</p><p>"If we restrict her movements, now, it will only encourage more secrets in the future. She will come to us with her purpose for this man in time, I believe…and in the meantime we may find much better uses for this Mister Parker than simply eliminating him at the earliest possible opportunity."</p><p>If Jeremy knew anything at all, it was that whenever his superior delivered an order such as the one just issued, it was wiser in most cases to just accept the instructions as they were, and go along with them as best he could.</p><p>…</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Unexpected Visit</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Dongsheng, China, 2011)</p><p>Katherine returned to the hospital the following morning, cup of coffee in hand, and a faint smile upon her lips in spite of the fact that Zachary had insisted upon following her on site. Of course, he would remain unseen as far as it pertained to her patient, keeping to the lower floors for surveillance and assistance if the situation required. And, although some small part of her recognized that the hope was foolish, Katherine almost found herself hoping that something would transpire during their time here, if for no other reason than to allow her the chance to prove she could handle herself once and for all.</p><p>Stifling a soft laugh in response to the look she would likely find upon Zachary's face if she were to ever confess the thought to him, directly, the dark-haired woman maneuvered through the halls until she found the room she was searching for, its sole occupant in almost the exact same position she had been in when she left her the evening prior. Briefly, Katherine found herself marveling at the sort of resolve such a thing must take, whether the near motionlessness was a result of pain, or something else entirely. But, before she could spend too much time lost in such thoughts, she forced herself to move forward into the room, a small sip of the coffee in her hand serving to steel her nerves, so to speak, as she approached the patient's bed once again with a half-smile upon her lips.</p><p>"Good morning. I—would have brought a coffee for you, as well, but then I recalled you probably shouldn't deliberately do anything to raise your blood pressure."</p><p>"You should probably leave, then. For the sake of my blood pressure," The patient retorted, thin fingertips toying with the fabric of the blanket that covered her legs and waist, while she tilted her head upon the pillow just enough to get a better glance at the blue-eyed woman who stood beside her, only to note that the enigmatic smile she wore had only grown in response to her acerbic remark.</p><p>"Oh, no, Miss Stanton. I'm afraid you're quite stuck with me."</p><p>"My dream come true."</p><p>"I'm glad you think so," Katherine said, pausing just long enough for another sip of coffee, before toeing the chair she had occupied closer to the bed, and taking a seat with legs crossed at the knees, one foot bobbing idly in the air, "I thought we might get to know one another a little better, today."</p><p>"What makes you think I would be amenable to that?" Kara demanded, brown eyes implacable as she stared at the young woman lounging idly beside her, in hopes that she could find some way to get beneath the obvious façade she sought to portray, and rattle her enough to place the advantage rather firmly in her court, instead. The girl was young. Ridiculously young, truth be told, and the bravado she seemed to exert almost without effort only gave proof to her inexperience.</p><p>It was going to be only too easy to break her, she decided, so the only thing that truly remained to be done was to have some fun while she was at it.</p><p>"Well, I doubt you have any other plans for the day," Katherine mused, tilting her head to the side just a bit as though she were seriously considering the prospect of her companion having other engagements, and suppressing a laugh as she watched her companion's eyes narrow slightly in response, "No. I didn't think so."</p><p>"That doesn't mean I'm talking to you."</p><p>"Not even if I tell you a bit about myself, first, to get things going?"</p><p>Aware that the woman in the hospital bed had stilled, once again, in response to the offer, Katherine shifted in the chair just a bit, her gaze carefully assessing as she waited for the brunette lying before her to respond, one way or the other. She could practically taste the sudden interest that had permeated the air as a result of her not so subtle suggestion. The woman wanted to know more about her, if for no other reason than to render herself less vulnerable. But, regardless of that desire, she still seemed reluctant to give in to it in its entirety, her expression remaining impassive as she lifted a shoulder in some semblance of a shrug before she spoke.</p><p>"I get the feeling you're going to tell me whether I want to hear it or not."</p><p>"Mm. You know me so well," Katherine acknowledged, aware of the soft flicker of her companion's brow before the tired features were once again arranged into a carefully neutral mask, "Can I at least ask you where you might like me to begin?"</p><p>"Assuming anything you're going to tell me is actually true?"</p><p>"Yes. Assuming that."</p><p>"The beginning, then," Kara instructed, silently pleased that the tone of her voice had remained detached, to say the least, despite the fact that she was already raptly attentive, on the off chance the young woman beside her bed revealed something she could use. Some small part of her realized that anything the woman said may very well be made up. Something to entertain, but bearing very little truth behind it, in the long run.</p><p>Still, with as inexperienced as the girl was, perhaps one of the 'stories', such as they were, would prove to be more informative than she wanted, and that was what had Kara paying close attention as the dark-haired woman shifted yet again and took another sip of her coffee before acquiescing to her request.</p><p>"Fine. The beginning. Let's see," Katherine hummed, wetting her lips with her tongue as she decided how best to feign being informative, without giving away too much of herself in the process, "I suppose you could say it started as anyone else's life did. My mom met my dad, and—"</p><p>"I'm not in for a love story."</p><p>"No. No, of course you're not. But that's not where I was going at all. Saying my parents had a love story is like saying Adolf Hitler was a fluffy kitten of love and happiness."</p><p>Unbidden, a hoarse bark of laughter escaped Kara's lips before she could stop it, causing the blue eyes of her companion flying wide in abject surprise as a result. Secretly, even though the act was about as involuntary as breathing, Kara was pleased that it had gotten the young woman to let her guard down, even if only for a moment, betrayed as she was by her obvious surprise.</p><p>If she could manage to do that again, and get the tenuous wall the young woman had erected around her to come down, permanently, who knew what she could get her to reveal.</p><p>"Is this the part where you tell me your dad was a drunk, and your mom had a drug habit?" The older woman inquired, almost immediately taking note of the minute shake of her companion's head before she moved to correct her assumption with words that may or may not have been true.</p><p>"Nope. Mom got cancer. Dad was out of the picture before I was even born."</p><p>"How sad."</p><p>"I pushed through," Katherine shrugged, hoping that her attempt at actually being truthful would not backfire, and yet not entirely having it within herself to lie about something that was so formative to who she was, today, "Everyone does, I suppose."</p><p>"Some more adeptly than others."</p><p>"Indeed."</p><p>"When did she die?"</p><p>"I was eight."</p><p>"That must have been—hard," Kara managed, watching as one of her companion's dark brows lifted in skeptical surprise over her words, and yet never flinching, herself, as she waited patiently for the young woman's ensuing reply.</p><p>"It was. But, like I said, I persevered. And here I am."</p><p>"The old man in the suit have anything to do with that?"</p><p>Startled, to say the least, by the inference that she was in league with Greer when the two of them had made every effort to the contrary, Katherine did not come up with an immediate reply, her expression schooling itself into a mask of careful indifference while she mulled over her options as best she could. She already knew of the woman's apparent distrust for her guardian. That much had been made painfully obvious upon their first encounter. What she did not know, was whether or not she could successfully lie about her connection to the man without the woman in the hospital bed picking up on her attempt at deception, and she was loathe to risk whatever tentative conversation that had been breached between them for a lie that may or may not even be necessary.</p><p>Greer had always said a little truth often goes a long way, and Katherine was more than just a little tempted to test the theory right here and now.</p><p>"You're quick," She remarked, settling in her chair a little more comfortably, and attempting to exhale slowly in an effort at relieving the sudden tension from her shoulders that had arisen at the prospect of how this woman may react to the truth, "Even on your deathbed, such as it is, you don't seem to miss much."</p><p>"Probably why I'm still alive," Kara quipped, suppressing a smirk at how easy it had seemed to get her companion to answer what she had almost anticipated to be a much more difficult question to get an answer for, "Noticing things before anyone else used to be a pretty big part of my job description."</p><p>"What were you doing before—this? If I'm allowed to ask, of course."</p><p>"Something tells me you really don't give a damn whether you're allowed to or not."</p><p>"Ouch. Words wound, Miss Stanton," Katherine chided, unable to entirely maintain the intended severity in her tone, and simultaneously choosing to take the slight twitch of her patient's lips as a sign that her confession, such as it was, had not alienated her entirely, "But I suppose you're right. I really don't give a damn."</p><p>"Government work. Very top secret."</p><p>"Pardon?"</p><p>"What I was doing before," Kara clarified, watching as realization dawned upon her companion's youthful features, and a satisfied smile tugged at her lips, giving the impression she thought she had earned herself an easy victory. If only she knew that was the farthest thing from the truth, "You asked. Now you know."</p><p>"That's what you call a sufficient answer? You've hardly told me anything."</p><p>"Maybe I'm just waiting for you to prove yourself worthy of knowing more."</p><p>"Mm? How am I doing so far?" Katherine deadpanned, resisting the urge to send her companion an audacious wink, and settling instead for abandoning her half-empty coffee on the table beside the bed while she waited for the answer to the question she had just posed.</p><p>"To be determined."</p><p>"That's not an outright 'bloody awful', though, is it?"</p><p>"I'm not usually one to give in when someone fishes for a compliment.," Kara said, noting the faint flicker of something akin to amusement as it passed across her young companion's features, and congratulating herself before going on, "Tends to—make people less diligent."</p><p>"Is that your way of suggesting I should be trying to impress you?"</p><p>"You're the one who's masquerading as a nurse. Isn't that your job?"</p><p>Allowing a faint chuckle to escape in response to the quip, Katherine leaned back in the chair she occupied, while she allowed her attention to drift to the windows lining the opposite side of the room. Early morning light was streaming through, allowing her to just barely make out the dust motes moving through the air nearby. Almost immediately, a sudden idea struck—a foolish one, perhaps, but an idea, nonetheless. And before she could second-guess herself, Katherine found herself leaning forward once again, aware of the way her companion's brown eyes narrowed in response before she was sending her best disarming smile her way, and hoping that her sudden inspiration would prove successful.</p><p>"Fancy a walk?"</p><p>"Seriously?"</p><p>"Yeah," Katherine confirmed, managing a nonchalant shrug, as if to say the suggestion was as natural as breathing, "It's the sort of thing nurses are supposed to do, after all—get their patients up and moving about as soon as they can. I'd just hate to have you ending up with a blood clot, when you'd been through so much, already."</p><p>For a moment, Katherine almost feared that Kara would refuse, the expression upon the brunette's face remaining motionless, aside from the faint twitching of a muscle in the smooth line of her jaw. But just as she had been prepared to make an attempt to depart, to avoid putting a dent in whatever small bit of rapport she had managed to build with her would-be patient thus far, the young woman found the movement grinding to a halt as the woman in the hospital bed before her shifted just a bit, her fingers curling into the fabric of the sheets as she began to push herself to sit upright.</p><p>"Fine. But don't go thinking that I won't kick your ass if you pull anything funny."</p><p>"Oh, Miss Stanton…I wouldn't have it any other way."</p><p>For now, Katherine supposed, even if they were still not wholly comfortable with one another, they were at least marginally closer to achieving that end, and she would have been a fool to pretend that such knowledge did not give her every reason to believe that perhaps she stood a chance at unravelling whatever it was Greer wanted her here for in the first place, whether the answer to that particular question came in the coming days, or farther in the future, as well.</p><p>…</p><p>Some time later, Katherine returned to the hotel room she was sharing with Zachary, the door shutting behind her with a soft thud as she toed off her shoes and padded a bit farther into the room to deposit the take out she had obtained on the table beside the television stand. She half-expected to see her guardian's apparent choice for bodyguard ensconced in one of the chairs beside the window, or perhaps on top of the bed since her absence for the better part of the day would have rendered the territory free for the taking, if he so desired. But what she did not expect—what had her heart jumping in her chest as she froze in place with blue eyes blown wide in utter shock—was the sight of the man that was actually lounging upon the bed, leaning back upon his elbows, with a cocky grin in place that only made his dimples that much more difficult to ignore.</p><p>"Hey, kitten. Welcome back."</p><p>"You—how—how did you get in here?" Katherine stammered, stumbling back a step or two in the wake of her shock, and swallowing thickly as she watched the man before her push himself to stand and step towards her with grin still firmly in place, "What if—Chase, I'm not alone here—"</p><p>"I know."</p><p>"Then how did you—you can't stay."</p><p>"I know," Chase acknowledged, continuing to move towards the young woman until she found that her continued attempts to get away had only rendered her capable of coming to a sudden stop with her back pressed against the wall, "You said I could make it up to you for disappearing if I found out where you were on my own."</p><p>"I—I did."</p><p>"Well—here I am."</p><p>"But—how?"</p><p>"Are you going to keep asking that question for the rest of the night, Kath?"</p><p>"I am until you actually answer it," Katherine replied, doing her best to ignore the way her cheeks seemed to burn as Chase closed the distance between them until they were a mere hairsbreadth apart, "I don't—I don't understand."</p><p>"You aren't the only one with a skill for finding someone who's more than a little elusive, you know," Chase teased, reaching for one of Katherine's hands, and taking it in his own despite the fact that the gesture caused her to tremble as though he were a threat, and not a friend, "Hey—what is it?"</p><p>"What's what?"</p><p>"Don't, Katherine, you know what I mean."</p><p>"I just—Chase, if Zachary comes back—"</p><p>"You think I'm afraid of someone's hired thug? I'm hurt, kitten."</p><p>"Zachary is more than just a hired thug and you know it," Katherine retorted, frowning as she realized she was unable to withdraw from the man who had so effectively cornered her between the wall and his own lean frame, and yet forcing herself to look him in the eye, regardless. She would have been lying if she were to pretend that a part of her was not intrigued by the proximity, her heart starting to thump erratically against her ribcage as the faintest hints of his cologne reached her, and paralyzed her in mere seconds. She could recall the first time Chase had done this—how she had been all but chomping at the bit to do something—anything—to keep him at bay. But she hadn't. She had done nothing as he got close enough to brush his palm against her cheek as his mouth ghosted against her own.</p><p>Zachary or no Zachary, Katherine was almost hopeful that Chase might do something similar, now, and perhaps that sudden desire was what had her only just holding in the desire to pout as he pulled away with an enigmatic smile, brown eyes twinkling with something she could not quite place as he allowed a soft laugh to break free before he spoke.</p><p>"Help me find a hotel, then?"</p><p>"I beg your pardon?"</p><p>"I'm told this one is at full occupancy, already," Chase informed, grinning once again as he watched the metaphorical wheels turning in Katherine's head as she struggled to process this sudden change in agenda, "And since I doubt you'll be offering to let me bunk down with you and your friend—"</p><p>"God, no!"</p><p>"Okay. So, help me find a hotel."</p><p>"And what exactly happens when I do that?" Katherine asked, silently grateful that her voice did not waver, even in the face of the fact that her stomach did a funny little flip in response to the answering mischievous expression that took over Chase's features almost immediately after she uttered the question aloud. Regardless of what Greer had always told her, about maintaining a barrier between herself, and anyone else she interacted with, something about Chase had always seemed resistant to that instruction, as though he exuded some strange aura that indicated his trustworthiness overall. And although some small part of her knew her absence might raise questions, should Zachary return and find her gone, Katherine soon found herself turning on a heel, and heading back towards the take out bag she had deposited upon the table, her attention shifting to donning her shoes once again while satisfied laughter reached her ears from where Chase stood behind her.</p><p>"Figured you'd cave eventually, kitten. Was only a matter of time," He joked, blind to the roll of the eyes she gave in response, but not missing the stunning smile she directed his way over her shoulder after her shoes were properly in place and she had turned to face him once more, "You missed me."</p><p>"I never said that," The young woman cautioned, donning a half-grin of her own, and turning towards the door with take out bag in hand, "And if you want a chance at any of this sushi, you're going to want to stop while you're ahead."</p><p>"Well damn, woman, why didn't you say anything sooner?"</p><p>To Chase, the laughter that bloomed from Katherine's lips in response was worth all the trouble he may be in from his own superiors once they knew he had stepped away without leave, and he would have been a fool to pretend he was not looking forward to spending the remainder of the evening making sure she knew exactly how much such a thing was cherished.</p><p>…</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Concern and Reminiscence</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Dongsheng, China, 2011)</p><p>The shrill chirping of her phone from its position on the nightstand beside the bed woke Katherine from a deep slumber, her brow furrowing as she took a moment or two to orient herself to her surroundings. This was not her hotel room. That much was obvious from the way in which her gaze had almost immediately landed upon the unfamiliar suitcase that had been stashed between the bed, and the half-opened window overlooking the streets below. And although the first instinct she felt was fear at having woken in a strange location, Katherine soon found that her memory was returning in fits and starts, a faint flush adorning her cheeks as she reached for her phone at the exact same time she realized the only thing covering her body from the slight chill in the air was the sheet bunched up beneath her arms.</p><p>"Hello?"</p><p>"Good. You're awake," The familiar voice of her guardian rang out, the sound causing Katherine to turn just a bit to gaze at the still-sleeping form beside her, as though she had suddenly become fearful he might make a sound, and alert Greer to the fact that she was not alone, "How are things going with our mutual friend?"</p><p>"Well enough," Katherine admitted, clutching the sheet to her chest as she squirmed her way into a seated position, and once again glanced towards her companion to assure herself that her movements had not caused him to wake, "Though, she still is not as forthcoming as I would have hoped."</p><p>"That will come in time, my dear. I have every reason to believe that you are more than capable of performing admirably in the task at hand."</p><p>"That's good to hear, I suppose—"</p><p>"Indeed."</p><p>"Where are you, now?"</p><p>"I am precisely where I need to be, Greer replied, the almost predictable enigmatic nature of the response causing Katherine's lip to twitch minutely, though she held in the full scope of her amusement in favor of attempting to distract herself from her own current position by pressing him for more information.</p><p>"And you don't intend to tell me where that is?"</p><p>"You already know the answer to that inquiry, Katherine."</p><p>"Perhaps I do," The young woman agreed, using her free hand to tuck a lock of dark hair behind her ear, and resisting the urge to flinch when she came to the realization that her companion had stirred from his sleep just enough to place a hand upon her thigh, "Are you—will you be coming back, soon?"</p><p>"Missing me already, my dear?"</p><p>"I suppose you could say that."</p><p>"The sentiment is appreciated," Greer assured, his tone even, as always, despite the fact that Katherine had hoped she would have been capable of sensing at least some modicum of amusement, instead, "I trust you have been keeping Zachary appraised of your progress, as well."</p><p>"Of course."</p><p>"Good. If he is to protect you to the fullest extent of his capabilities, complete disclosure is preferred."</p><p>"I always thought he was better suited to protecting you," Katherine intoned, allowing her gaze to drift down to the hand still resting upon her thigh, and bringing her own to rest on top of it with a small smile spared for its owner before going on, "Don't you miss your little bodyguard?"</p><p>"I am more than satisfied with the man who has stepped up to take Zachary's place until such a time as I can return to Dongsheng."</p><p>"I suppose I should be glad to hear that."</p><p>"You should," Greer confirmed, the sound of muted conversation suddenly cutting into the call, and causing Katherine to feel more than a little curious about exactly what her guardian might be involved in, in her absence, as a result. Of course, she did not question him about it, knowing that if she did, she would likely only receive an unsatisfactory and elusive remark in response. But regardless of her apparent reservation when it came to inquiring about Geer's activities, Katherine would have been a fool to pretend she did not feel at least slightly tempted to try discovering the nature of his activities on her own, her lips pursing into a line until she was brought back to the present by the sound of Greer's voice once more.</p><p>"It would seem something more pressing requires my attention at the present, my dear. I trust you will contact me, should any problems arise as it pertains to Miss Stanton, and her continued recovery?"</p><p>"I will."</p><p>"Very good. I am very eager to hear of your continued success."</p><p>Before she could say another word, the call disconnected, giving Katherine no choice but to lean over to replace the phone upon the nightstand, while her teeth worried idly at her lower lip. She had never been one to doubt her own abilities, even in the beginning of her training, when she faced more than one fellow new recruit that seemed to think she was only involved because of her relationship to their enigmatic leader. But now, for some reason she could not fully explain, she felt the tiniest bit of fear that she would not, in fact, prove equal to her current task, her attention only turning away from such morose thoughts as she realized her companion had shifted so that he could trace his fingertips in a path from the base of her neck, to the bottom of her spine.</p><p>"That the boss-man?"</p><p>"You could say that—"</p><p>"What did he want?"</p><p>"Just checking in."</p><p>"He the hovering type, then?" Chase surmised, leaning down to place his mouth against Katherine's shoulder, and allowing the hand at the base of her spine to slide beneath the sheet to wind around her abdomen, instead, "I've always hated those types—"</p><p>"He's not—that's not really what that was."</p><p>"Oh?"</p><p>"It's not," Katherine insisted, turning so that she faced the man beside her more directly, and doing the best she could to avoid allowing herself to become too distracted by the earnest concern apparent in his expression, "He's concerned for my safety."</p><p>"This, from the girl who always acts so sure she can take care of herself."</p><p>"I can take care of myself."</p><p>"And he doesn't agree?"</p><p>"Honestly? It's kind of hard to tell."</p><p>"Well maybe it's not a bad thing he's giving you protection," Chase suggested, aware of the almost immediate protest that became so inherent in his companion's expression, and moving to waylay her impending protest as best he could, "Hey, I'd be lying if I didn't say I was relieved someone was trying to keep you safe."</p><p>"Is that your way of suggesting I can't do that myself?"</p><p>"No. It's my way of saying I'm more worried about you insisting on doing everything on your own in some sort of sick attempt at proving yourself, and ending up getting hurt in the process."</p><p>"Seems like you're using different words to say the exact same thing, Chase," Katherine pressed, pulling back just a bit from the sensation of Chase's hand as it came to rest upon her forearm, the warmth of his palm burning against her skin like a brand, "Though I can't say I'm particularly surprised."</p><p>"I'm not saying the exact same thing at all, kitten."</p><p>"Then what are you saying?"</p><p>"I'm saying that I care about you," Chase informed, allowing his hand to trace its way down Katherine's forearm in favor of grabbing her hand, instead, and maintaining his grip even when she sought to pull away, "And I don't think you're exactly the sort of person to know when they've gotten in over their head."</p><p>"I have no reason to believe I'm in over my head."</p><p>"No? Because that is precisely what someone would say when they're just proving my point."</p><p>"And why are you so determined to believe I'm proving your point?" Katherine demanded, astonishment coloring her tone as she forced herself to continue looking Chase in the eye, despite the fact that her own conflicting feelings over his apparent worry for her safety had her wanting to look away, "What if you're the one being paranoid, here?"</p><p>"I'm not."</p><p>"Explain."</p><p>"You haven't gotten around to asking me how I found out you were here," Chase began, watching as Katherine's expression turned from affronted, to something more akin to the beginnings of open curiosity as he elaborated further, "Or if I know what your doing, when you're at that hospital all day."</p><p>"I—how did you know that I've been—"</p><p>"New job. Remember?"</p><p>"New job doing what, exactly?" Katherine asked, trying and failing to utterly suppress the sudden bolt of dread that coiled in her belly as suspicion rose to the forefront of her mind in response to her companion's assertion. The idea that she may have been wrong to trust him so implicitly troubled her far more than she truly wanted to admit, particularly in light of the fact that her training thus far only made her into a fool for giving in to her desire for camaraderie in the first place. But before she could come to any sort of a conclusion as far as her own capabilities of judging people's trustworthiness for herself, Katherine found herself once again distracted by Chase's voice, his tone soft, as though he feared speaking too loudly might turn her away from him for good.</p><p>"Let's just call it good old-fashioned reconnaissance."</p><p>"Really? That's all you're going to give me?"</p><p>"It's all I can give you, for now," Chase replied, frowning as he realized Katherine did not appear at all convinced that he was telling her the truth, and endeavoring to rectify the situation before she could interrupt, "And the fact that the woman you're working with? She's dangerous."</p><p>"She's nearly immobilized in a hospital bed."</p><p>"For now. She wasn't always that way, and she won't be for very much longer, either."</p><p>"Well you already know I have a friend here with me. I'm not alone, Chase, even if I did prove you right, and end up incapable of defending myself if things went south."</p><p>"And you're sure your friend is trustworthy?"</p><p>"I am."</p><p>"How can you know for certain?"</p><p>"Because he was placed here with the express instruction to keep me safe, whether I wanted him to or not," Katherine quipped, withdrawing her hand from Chase's grasp, and turning to attempt starting the search for her clothes while one hand still clutched at the sheet covering her bare torso from view, "And I really think I should go, now."</p><p>"No, you don't."</p><p>"Excuse me?"</p><p>"You don't," Chase repeated, shifting closer towards the edge of the bed as Katherine rose to stand, and latching on to the edge of the sheet so that, if she decided to move any further away, she would end up losing the protective barrier she seemed to so clearly desire between them as a result. It did not take her long to discover such a thing for herself, it seemed, the way in which her blue eyes narrowed almost provoking a smile to his lips before he could summon the wherewithal to stop it. But of course, he was not quite foolish enough to allow it to take over his features entirely, knowing that if he did, he would likely only make the sudden tension between them even worse.</p><p>"Stay, Kath. Your hulking body guard can amuse himself on his own for just a bit longer."</p><p>"Why should I? If you can't trust me enough to tell me what you're doing here—"</p><p>"It has nothing to do with whether I trust you or not. And for the record, I do trust you. With my life, in fact."</p><p>"Then why can't you tell me what the hell is going on?" Katherine questioned, leaning down to tug the sheet out from its position grasped in Chase's hand, and backing up a step or two as she realized he had simultaneously chosen to swing his legs over the edge of the bed and stand to his full height before her, effectively trapping her between the wall at her back, and his frame, "Why—why the secrecy?"</p><p>"Think about the running theme of this conversation, kitten. To keep you safe."</p><p>"Right. Because your boss, who doesn't even know me is clearly a threat."</p><p>"He may be. He was certainly vague enough about his reasons for wanting to look into the woman you're currently associating with."</p><p>"So, you have no idea why she's of interest?'</p><p>"I don't," Chase confirmed, once again reaching towards Katherine and running the pads of his fingers against the pale skin of her arm as he approached, aware of the shiver that coursed through her frame in response, "But I'm going to find out."</p><p>"What about you, then? Can you protect yourself?" The young woman asked, silently pleased that her voice did not waver, even in spite of the realization that her concern over her companion's welfare was startlingly potent in the face of the potential danger his new job posed, "I don't see any—hulking bodyguards, as you so eloquently put it, lurking around here."</p><p>"I think I'm going to be doing just fine. Or at least, I will be, as soon as you promise me one thing, in return for my agreement to stop pestering you about your own safety."</p><p>"What's that?"</p><p>"Promise me, if you do land in hot water, you'll call me to help get you out."</p><p>"So long as you do the same."</p><p>"I'd say we have ourselves a deal," Chase supplied, finally feeling that it was safe enough to smile, and finding himself more than a little relieved that Katherine had managed a faint grin of her own, in return. He would have been a liar to pretend that he was not doubtful over each of their prospects as it pertained to what they had been sent here to do, regardless of whether or not he would ever admit to such a thing out loud. He knew that if he had confessed, instead of seeking compromise instead, he likely would have only pushed his companion away, thus denying him the chance to close the distance between them once again so that he might cup her cheek in the palm of his hand. And, as soon as he gathered that Katherine was readily meeting his gaze head-on, rather than attempting to pull away, Chase leaned forward to brush his lips against her own, the soft hum of approval that she gave in response only giving him leave to continue as they had been the night before.</p><p>For now, at least, the two of them could simply get lost in one another, and leave all further potentially unpleasant speculation over the real world for a later time.</p><p>…</p><p>(New York City, United States, December 2010)</p><p>"So—where, exactly, are we going?" Katherine queried, risking a glance at the man she walked beside, while simultaneously stowing her hands in her jacket pockets to ward off the wind's bracing chill, "The plaza? Dinner and a movie?"</p><p>"Hardly. What I am going to show you, Miss Greer, is something far more—relevant."</p><p>"Relevant to what?"</p><p>"To your training. What else?"</p><p>"Honestly? I was kind of looking forward to a bit of sightseeing."</p><p>"You and I both know we are not here on vacation, Katherine," Her companion cautioned, holding out a hand to stall her movements as they came to a busy intersection, where traffic had just begun to move in such a way that would hinder their progress across the street, "You are here to watch, and learn."</p><p>"Watch and learn. So, it is a movie."</p><p>"If you choose to see it that way, I suppose I can't argue with you."</p><p>"Because you know you'll lose?"</p><p>"Because I would rather spend my time instructing, instead of bickering."</p><p>"But you and I bicker so well, Jeremy," Katherine pouted, laughing openly as the man beside her regarded her with a look that was obviously intended to be stern, but fell short of the mark by just a bit despite his best intentions, "Seems a shame to waste the opportunity."</p><p>"I believe Mister Greer would feel it was a shame to waste a chance for education with pointless banter," Jeremy disagreed, aware of the slight huff Katherine gave in response to his words, and choosing to ignore it in favor of going on, "And to answer your question, we are going to a café to meet a potential new friend."</p><p>"A café."</p><p>"Did you not hear me the first time?"</p><p>"Oh, I did. I was just making sure I wasn't imagining things."</p><p>"You are not."</p><p>"Good to know. I would hate to believe I was losing my touch," Katherine teased, nudging Jeremy in the side with her elbow, and frowning at the arched brow she received as a result, "What? I'm not allowed to joke, now?"</p><p>"Your training is hardly a joke, Miss Greer."</p><p>"Katherine."</p><p>"Miss Greer," Jeremy insisted, placing a hand at the small of Katherine's back to lead her across the intersection, and then keeping it there in order to steer her towards the aforementioned café in the same motion, "We are here to work, not to pose as friends."</p><p>"Ouch. And here I thought we were actually friends, not just acting like it."</p><p>"We are not. Not here. After you."</p><p>Doing her best to keep her disappointment from showing upon her face as she did as she had been instructed, and stepped through the door to the café they had approached while Jeremy held it open for her, Katherine waited for him to follow along after her, one dark brow cocked in obvious inquiry as to when, if ever, he planned to divulge what on earth it was they were supposed to be doing. Upon realizing that such a thing did not appear to be forthcoming, she emitted a resigned sigh, and moved to follow after Jeremy as he maneuvered around an elderly couple that was preparing to depart. But as soon as she had done so, she found herself distracted by the slight shake of his head, her brow furrowing as she came to a stop just in time to hear his hushed words, though he never once looked her way.</p><p>"Mister Casey is expecting me to be alone."</p><p>Unable to do anything other than hang back as she watched Jeremy approaching a man that was already seated at one of the tables, wearing a red baseball cap, and glancing around the place as though he half-expected any one of the patrons to suddenly break form and attack for absolutely no reason at all. For a moment or two, Katherine simply watched his reaction as Jeremy approached, murmuring something inaudible that had the man gesturing for him to take the seat opposite him, regardless of the wary expression that still lingered upon his features. But before too long, she forced herself to move to a nearby seat of her own in order to better observe the goings-on, as she had likely been meant to do all along, her eyes remaining on the pair in question with just enough indifference to avoid raising the suspicion of the man Jeremy seemed so determined to meet.</p><p>Greer had always said learning was one part action for every three parts silent observation…</p><p>…</p>
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